


Fingers Laced to Crown

by SweeTarts151



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Game of Thrones AU, Slow Burn, as in they discover they love one another, but circumstances and timing are a bitch
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2017-11-04
Packaged: 2019-01-21 02:10:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 31,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12447400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweeTarts151/pseuds/SweeTarts151
Summary: Alex presses her forehead to Kara's, closes her eyes. She and Kara had always been close, closer than a bastard and a Lord's daughter had any right to be. "I don't want to leave."Game of Thrones AU (No kryptonian superpowers).





	1. Never Let Me Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex presses her forehead to Kara's, closes her eyes. She and Kara had always been close, closer than a bastard and a Lord's daughter had any right to be. "I don't want to leave."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this whole entire thing was suppose to be a one-shot to get my creative juices flowing. Apparently they flooded because this chapter is 17,000 words long. So much lengthier than I expected. I hope you guys enjoy it. Thanks for reading:)

**Kara: Age five / Alex: Age six**

Kara looks up, light brown hair fluttering as she stares at the door that had been forced open. "Aunt Astra?"

Astra drops to her knees, grey eyes frantic and wide, the white streak in her hair curls around her chin. "You need to come with me Little One."

Kara stands to her feet, stumbling to her aunt's arm, something warm and sticky presses against her shoulder, the smell of copper int he air. "Whats happening?"

"Bad people are coming." There's something desperate in her eyes and there's a streak of blood across her collar bone. "We're going to play a game of hide and seek."

Kara's brow furrows. "With the bad people?"

"Yes." Astra's frantic eyes wildly search the room, hand tight on the bag she intended to put Kara in. "It is most important that you stay quiet Little One, no matter what."

Kara grins and presses her pointer finger above her heart. "Promise, quiet as a mouser."

Astra kisses her young niece's forehead before holding open the bag. "Get in, try to stay still and quiet."

Kara nods solemnly. "As a mouser."

Astra slides the bag containing her niece over her shoulder, gripping her sword in the other hand. "Are you comfortable?"

Kara shifts and lets out a low huff. "You've a bony butt Aunt Astra, but I am fine."

Astra lets out a soft chuckle. "Quiet now Little One." 

She tightens her hand on her sword when her husband bursts into the room, nostril flaring and his own bloodied sword in his hand, he eyes the bag on her back before nodding sharply to himself and searching his wife's face. "Ready?"

Astra nods, shifting Kara to a more comfortable position, praying that the opposing soldiers will believe them to be fleeing with loot and not a child. "Alura?"

Non shakes his head, pressing calloused fingers into her elbow. "She and Zorel are leading a distraction, we must _go_ Astra."

Astra clenches her teeth but follows after her husband, Non leading the way down the secret passageways they'd come to memorize in their youth. "Do you know if they will meet us?"

Non darts an eyes to the bag Kara is in and shakes his head, unwilling to say so in front of his niece. Unwilling to crush her. Astra swallows thickly but nods. He speaks softly. "Jorel was attempting to get Kalel out, I do not know if he was successful or not. They will head to the sands."

Astra purses her lips. Jorel and Kalel may very well offer the distraction they need to get Kara out unnoticed and unscathed. There's the shouts of fighting above them, echoing in the tunnels, Astra itches to be up there with her men, to be at her sister's side, Non keeps her steady as does Kara's soft breathing against her back.

There's the sudden noise of feet on the stone cobbles and they come face to face with a soldier. "Running away with your tail between your legs?" He's got a stag stitched into his chest and his eyes are the dark Baratheon brown. There's no false crown on his head so Astra knows he's the brother to the man who claims he will be king. The man who had houses Alura and Zorel trusted turn on them. The man who lead trusted houses to betray them. "Scared little dragons?"

Astra backs away slowly, slipping behind Non. They are not dragons but they both hold ties to them. Non stands ready, his eyes not on his wife but his opponent. "Are you scared second born stag?" Non taunts, the derision thick in his voice as always. "You seem to be stalling for time, waiting for your men. Are you scared of an old soldier and his wife?"

The man snarls and rushes forward exactly how Non knew he would, Non brings up his sword to block his opponent's as he moves swiftly to the side, leaving an opening. Astra thrust her sword up the second Non is out of her way and the man falls, blood thick in his throat, gurgling as his lungs fill with blood. Non steps on his chest, pressing down until the man grunts in pain. "You and your kind will die, I promise this." Non's voice is thick with promise and rage, he felt the betrayal just as Astra did.

The second son of the Baratheon's pants below Non's foot, gurgling as he fights to speak. "Y-yo-." Non slices the mans throat open.

"Traitors deserve no last words." He turns to his wife and Astra's already moving forward, sword dripping a bloodied trail behind her. Non follows after her, face twisted in concentration and worry.

Non peaks quickly out their exit, finding it empty before they begins to make their way to the stables, most of the fighting will be inside the castle and to the east. They're just at the doors when heavy foot falls great them. Non shoves at Astra's shoulder. "GO!" He slices arrows heading their way from the sky and easily kills three of the five men that had raced forward to stop them.

There's stags on their shields and Astra loathes the traitors with everything in her as she lunges atop the horse Non had prepared, the only one. She moves the bag containing Kara in front of her, to keep safe. Her niece remains still and quiet, though tense with fear. "All is well Little One. All is well." Astra murmurs quietly.

She kicks her heels into the war-horse's side, her legs barely able to fit over his large girth. He is the largest there was, Non's prize war-horse. The stallion had no fear and could carry more than any she'd had before and could kick hard enough to kill a man. She spares a glance back to her husband as she races away from the stables, her niece, the heir to the throne, hidden away in a bag like some dirty clothes.

His face is bloodied and there's only four stag wielding soldiers now out of the ten more that had arrived. He grins at her, white teeth barred like when they had first fought as children and she beat him bloody. He disarms the man swiping at him and throws a knife into the neck of a soldier coming after her, the soldier crashes off of his mount, dead and the horse panics at the lack of rider and the commotion around them. Astra turns around and spurs the horse faster. Non was a fighter, he would keep the soldiers from coming after them. He would do his duty. She hears a pained shout as she comes over the hill and her eyes whip back around instinctively at that familiar shout to look for her husband. Her last view of him is two arrows sticking out of his right shoulder as he continues to fight the soldiers coming at him, face twisted into a furious snarl. The war-horse takes a turn around a building and she loses sight of him and his pale hair darkened by the blood of his enemies and his own.

* * *

 

They've pushed hard on the war-horse, already more than full day's ride away from the city. Kara sits in front of Astra and the general has stripped herself and the horse of anything to ties them to their houses. Anything that would make soldiers think they weren't anything more than a woman and her child traveling. "Aunt Astra why did we leave?"

Astra curls her left hand tighter over the reins as her right remains tight around Kara's middle, keeping her steady in the saddle as the sun nearly disappears from the sky. "You're mother asked me to take you someplace."

"Why?" Kara turns to face her and blue inquisitive eyes gaze up at Astra from an innocent face.

Something inside her chest cracks and the day's events seem to finally catch up with her at the innocence and trust in her niece's face. "It is not safe."

"Home's not safe?" Kara furrows her brow like Astra had seen Alura do many times in their youth. "How come mother and father aren't coming? Where's Uncle Non?"

Astra tightens her hold on the young girl in front of her, her horse speeding up at the tightening of her thighs. Her chest feels hollow, she'd left her family behind. Left her sister to face the betrayers and left her husband to face soldiers alone. She'd done the one thing she'd sworn never to do, she ran. She escaped, but the girl in her arms mattered more than anything. More than swears and promises made. More than her pride and more than the lives of her family. "Monsters came, they stayed to protect the castle."

"You're strong, how come you didn't stay and fight?"

Astra kisses her niece's temple, eyes closing in grief. "I received the greatest order, I am to protect my niece."

Kara nods and it is silent for a while before she speaks again, leaning back into her aunt's chest. "Where we going?"

They hadn't had time to plan things, not like Jorel, Jorel who had warned them but Zorel had always been a little too cocky. All Astra knew was that they had needed to escape King's Landing, find a place where they wouldn't be thought, a place to hide her niece safely. "Away."

* * *

 

Alex pouts as she shoves the food around on her plate, it's gone cold but Eliza won't let Alex leave until she's eaten at least half. "When will father be home?"

"A couple weeks my sweet." Eliza runs her hand over Alex's hair, her daughter frowns and pokes at her food more ferociously. 

"How come he had to leave?" She all petulance and furrowed brows of childlike confusion and anger. 

"There's a war going on, your father's friends asked him to help, as Lord of Winterfell he must."

"Father can't fight." Alex stares at her mother like she'd grown another head. "Never seen 'im pick up a sword."

Eliza's wrinkles deepen, too deep on her young face. She smooths her fingers through her daughter's hair again, finding comfort in the familiar gesture. "Just because you have't seen it doesn't mean he can't."

"Will he teach me when he gets home?" There's something excitable to her now, her father's absence and her anger at it forgotten. "I wanta be a knight."

"You are heir of Winterfell, you cannot be a knight." Alex frowns but Eliza dips a finger below her chin, tilting it up. "But I suppose if you go to your studies and then ask your father nicely he may very well teach you how."

Alex nods enthusiastically, shoveling her food in her mouth, Eliza's too worried to protest the lack of manners, content to watch her daughter eat without fear. Jeremiah would be home sometime and he will either bring good news or bad. 

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

 

**Alex: Age ten / Winn: Age nine**

Jeremiah comes home late, three weeks later than promised. Off to fight in another war, this time against the Greyjoys and not the king. He was three weeks late and hadn't sent a raven the entire time he was gone so it was a shock to hear the gates open. Alex slips down the stairs, attempting to stay quiet as she head to the front doorway. She knows her father is home and knows that she's meant to be sleeping, but her father was  _home._  Below her she spots her father, his hair is longer, in need of a cut and he has a sparse beard. Beside him is a trembling form, a boy by the looks of it. He's bruised and scared, refusing to look up. Her mother is standing in front of her father, face twisted in rage before she settles it with a deep breath like Alex never manages to do. Eliza ignores Jeremiah, bending down to the boy's level. "My name is Eliza Stark, who might you be?"

Wide frightful eyes flicker to Jeremiah and Jeremiah nods softly. "W-Winn Gr-Greyjoy my lady."

"Just Eliza dear, call me Eliza." She watches his trembling frame for a few minutes. "Are you hungry?" The boy says nothing and Eliza stands slowly. "Come, lets get you a bath and some food." She holds out her hand and the boy stares at her for a few seconds before taking her hand, slowly like Eliza might strike him.

Alex watches her mother lead him to the bathing room before her father looks to the stairs. "Alexandra." Alex stiffens, goes still like the rabbits they'd hunt do. Her father stares at her hiding spot for a long time and she finally comes out slowly knowing she's been discovered.

"Father." She looks at him through her lashes, taking in the tiredness that seems to emit from him. She looks to where her mother disappeared to. "Who is he?"

Jeremiah rubs at the stubbly beard he'd managed to form while away. "Winn Greyjoy, he is ward of the North now."

Alex lifts her eyes to meet her father's. "Why?"

"I'll explain some day when you're older." He moves to go up the stairs, to go rest.

Alex steps in front of him, defiant and inquisitive as always. "No, explain now."

Jeremiah frowns down at her, purple bruises under his eyes and exhaustion pressing lines into his face. "It is not fit for children ears."

Alex furrows her brow, fingers tangling in her night gown. "Is he a prisoner of war?"

"Ho-What?" Jeremiah splutters.

"The books, some mention prisoners of war." She pulls her shoulders back, straightening them like she's off to fight in the war herself. "I know you were fighting the Greyjoys, that they rebelled. He's a Greyjoy."

He lets out a huff of laughter, though it is saddened. "Sometimes I forget just how smart you are." He bends down to her level with creaking limbs. "You'll be a great leader one day."

Alex ignores the praise that would normally make her glow with pride. "Is Winn a prisoner of war?"

Jeremiah frowns. "He is a means to keep his father compliant."

Alex tilts her chin up, glaring at her father, there's something of Eliza in her eyes here. "Did you hurt him?"

"What?" Jeremiah's face twists, pained. _"No_ Alex, why would you think that?"

"He's bruised and scared." 

"He was in the middle of a war, he's a little bruised." He pats her shoulder compliantly as he rises back to his feet slowly. "And he is in a new home he has never been to before, of course he's scared."

* * *

 

Eliza corners Jeremiah later that night, when Alex had gone back to her room and Winn had retired to a guest room, a guard stationed outside of it per Jeremiah's wishes and against Eliza's. "Explain."

"Lionel's hand, Samuel, tried to have him to kill the last male heir of the Greyjoys." Jeremiah runs his hand through his hair. "I persuaded him to give me the boy as a hostage. Told him it was far easier to control the Greyjoys with their last heir stuck in the North than killing him and leading to another rebellion later on. We've already lost too many people with the first war and now this one. The Kingdoms couldn't handle a third war, not so soon. Lionel saw reason eventually."

Eliza processes this before speaking, voice thick with anger and there's so much resemblance between her and Alex that Jeremiah's heart aches with love. "He flinches every time I move, what happened? Did they place him in the dungeons?"

"No, no, nothing like that." He sits down heavily, body weary from the travel here and the war fought. "I don't believe his father was the most sound of mind. Nor the kindest."

Eliza purses her lips searching her husband's weary face before she orders. "He won't be used as a pawn if another war happens."

"Eli-"

"No, he is a _child,_ he deserves happiness and to live without fear." Eliza glares at her husband, this thick rage he had never seen before. Like Jeremiah was the enemy. "I swear Jeremiah if the crown tries to use him against his father I will _kill_ them."

"That's treason, yo-"

"He has no mother to protect him and a father that abused him!" Eliza rounds on him, as protective of the boy as if he were raised with Alex from birth. As if he were her own. "It is now our job to protect him."

He lets out another weary sigh, rising to step towards his wife. "Eliza, I ca-"

She steps away from him, refusing to be coddled. "What would you do if it was Alex? Would you hope they protected her or would you see them use her?" She rails the accusations at him like they are knives and they make their way into his heart, as sharp and deadly as any blade. "He is a child as is Alex, none of them deserve this."

"I will talk to Lionel about it." His gaze is somber and he itches to ease his wife worry, ease the distance that has crawled between them since the first war. "As long as Sam doesn't whisper in his ears Winn will be safe from everything."

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

 

**Alex: Age thirteen / Kara: Age twelve**

Alex watches as a guest room is prepared, much like when Winn had arrived. She watches the servants from the hall having heard the harsh whispers of her Septa. She's yet to see the girl that's the same age as Winn. The servants say she could pass as her mother's daughter and Alex aches at the thought. That she may take her mother from her like Winn had those first few months. Winn had been easy to love, soft hearted and terrified, he had shied away from Jeremiah and towards Eliza, having never had a mother who loved him. Alex couldn't hate him for it, but he had no ties to her parents, no blood. Alex wants to see the girl, to see if she can spot some of her father in the girl. If she was what the Septa had hissed she was. Anything to let her know who the girl is to her father.

There's the sound of footsteps and Alex turns to find her mother heading her way. "Alexandra, what are you doing?" There's amusement and curiosity in her voice as she comes to stand near her daughter, look out to the two horses that are being taken to the stables, sweat soaked and weary from their trip here.

Alex stares at them, father had to have pushed them hard to make them sweat like that.. Why did he push them so? "The Septa said father brought a girl home."

Eliza nods, hands crossed in front of her. There's a caution to her now, confusion as well but she speaks sternly. "She will be a ward of the North just as Winn is."

Alex narrows her eyes, suspicion there. "Winn's a Greyjoy, he's not _just_ any ward."

Eliza purses her lips. "She is Kara Rivers, the da-"

Alex presses, unable to stay silent. "Why is a bastard staying with us?"

_"Alexandra!"_ Eliza hisses out, there's a fire in her eyes.

Alex darts her eyes but tilts her chin high. "That's what the Septa called her, I heard her in the halls."

Eliza steps forward and smooths her fingers over Alex's face, from her temples down to her chin. Under her calloused fingers the defiance falls away and Alex meets her eyes. "Do not refer to her as a bastard again." Eliza's voice is stern and more harsh than Alex had ever heard it. "She has lost her family. She needs comfort."

Petulant, Alex presses. "Why is she staying with us?"

Eliza lets out a soft sigh, eyeing her daughter. "She was the daughter of a friend during the first war, she is gone so your father allotted to take Kara in."

Alex clenches her teeth, looking straight into her mother's eyes, daring her to lie. "Is she his?"

Eliza cracks, smoothing away the creases to her daughter face, no longer harsh and stern. "No my sweet."

"That's what the Septa was saying, that when he was away he slept with someone." Her jaw tightens in anger at the thought of her father betraying her mother. At the girl being a product of that. "That Kara's his ba- Illegitimate child."

"Your father's always been faithful."

Alex purses her lips, the Septa is not a kind woman, she would not hold back her words. "Will the Septa teach her too?"

Eliza's eyes flash like they had all those years ago when her father brought Winn bruised and scared through the doors. Dangerous and protective. "No, it seems I need to talk with your Septa on her loose mouth. Find something to do, she won't be available today."

"Good, all she talks about is _marriage."_ Alex mutters out, before backing away. "Father's in the field?"

"No, he is speaking to Kara at the Heart tree." Eliza watches her, tilts her head and narrows her eyes. "Be back before dinner Alexandra."

"Yes mother." Alex presses a kiss to her cheek before taking off in a run, dress fluttering at the speed, flying up to show the breeches she wears underneath them. She'll strip the dress off before even leaving the castle. Eliza lets out a sigh and pinches the bridge of her nose before making her way to find the Septa with the loose lips fit for lying.

* * *

 

Alex skids to a halt, slowing her pace and catching her breath, she pushes her too long hair out of her face and winds through the familiar trees. She can hear the low timbre of her father's voice and she makes her way towards the Heart tree. Coming through the clearing she looks at this frail girl that sits beside him, shivering in the cold despite her own cloak and Jeremiah's on her shoulders. "-omise. All you need to be here is Kara. Just Kara."

"Is there any word of her?" The girl's, Kara's, voice is low and soft. Quiet like she can't speak any louder. There's a brittle edge to it that pulls at Alex's chest.

"She's gone Kara, i'm sorry." Alex watches the girl, shorter than her with sad blue yes and hair that is somewhere between brown and blonde. There's something sad about her, something that drags Alex in and guilt eats away at her stomach for calling this girl a bastard. Jeremiah looks up and spots her. "Alex, aren't you suppose to be with the Septa?"

Kara spins quickly, stumbling back in shock and something like fear. Alex narrows her eyes in confusion at those emotions before she turns back to her father. "Mother's speaking to her."

Jeremiah's lips purse and he shakes his head. "I better go moderate the discussion, you very well might not have a Septa if I don't get to your mother in time." He presses his hand to Kara's shoulder. "Think about what I said." He smiles softly at her before making his leave. Alex stares at the girl, she's thin, like she's gone hungry more than not.

Alex looks her over, takes in the fearful set to her shoulders but the defiance in her jaw. "Wanna climb the stables?"

Kara furrows her brows, blinking in shock. "The stables? Why?"

"They get the best view of the sunset. It's your first night in the North, in Winterfell, you should see a proper Northern sunset."

Kara steps forward slowly, cautiously. "Okay."

Alex backs up, smiling slowly. "C'mon." She leads the way in a brisk walk, she'd run if she thought the frail looking girl could keep up. They make it back to the castle walls and Alex leads the way to the stables. Most thought the best spot would be in the castle, the highest tower, but the stables are in just the right spot to watch it. Built in front of the castle to the west, right above the cresting of the hills so the stone walls didn't get in the way of the setting sun. Alex turns back as she presses her fingers to the stones. "Put your feet where I put mine and you'll be fine." Kara eyes her warily and Alex grins. "The stable boy fell once, you only break your arm."

Kara lets out a sound that could be a snort and Alex takes off, climbing the wall at a slower pace than normal. She looks down to see Kara watching her, thinks she won't follow before Kara practically throws herself on the side of the building, climbing like she was born for it. Alex furrows her brow when the girl ends up scrambling past her, taking footholds that Alex had never even thought of before. Alex grunts and takes off at a faster speed, trying to catch back up with the girl. Kara's at the top before her, breathing hard but wide eyed as she looks out over Winterfell. Alex flops down, scowling at the girl before it smooths away, Kara looks content, not so down trodden like earlier. 

They watch the sun set in silence, Alex throws her cloak at the girl when she shivers but they stay there until the sun has vanished. There's the distant shout of Eliza hollering for Alex, irritation in her tone. Alex winces. "Mother will be displeased, we missed dinner."

Kara looks concerned for Alex. "Will you not get any if you missed it?"

Alex shrugs. "She'll have kept some for us, but she likes family dinners." Alex stands swiftly. "Lets go, before dinner gets cold again." Alex grins. "Race you down."

Kara finally smiles, not quite a shy smile but a challenging on. "You're on." She throws Alex's cloak at her before scrambling down. 

Alex laughs and throws her cloak off the side of the stables so her hands are free and begins to climb down herself. "That's cheating!"

"No it's not." Kara laughs out. "I was out thinking you."

Alex grins, no one challenges her. She's the daughter of the Lord of Winterfell and most try to stay in her graces instead of challenging her. "I'll show you out thinking." Alex has done this a million times, she looks down and then with a grin kicks off the wall like she does when she's feeling adventurous. She lands with a grin on her feet but slips on the cloak she had thrown down and she hits the ground with an undignified yowl. Kara hit the ground next to her, face twisted in worry. "Are you okay?"

Alex cradles her arm to her chest, teeth gritted tightly at the very familiar pain. "I think I broke my arm."

"I'm so sorry." Kara's wide blue eyes fill with tears. "This is all my fault. I shouldn't have thrown your cloak at you."

Alex grunts out a scoff. "I tossed it on the ground." She drops her chin to her chest let out a harsh breath. "Mother's going to kill me."

Kara's hands are fisting and she looks like she wants to reach for Alex. Alex does it for her, holding out her none broken arm. "Help me up?" Kara does so obligingly, hands fluttering to be careful. "I guess we should get to my mother." Alex leans against Kara. "This means i'll have to sit through all the Septa's sessions if she's still teaching. No swordplay or climbing."

"I'm so sorry."

"Stop it Kara, it's not your fault." They make their way to Eliza and Alex can see the purse to her mother's lips before they soften in worry. Alex ducks her chin and grins sheepishly at her mother, Kara's attempting to explain with fluttering hands and words that are edging into hysterics.

Eliza holds up her hands, shaking her head. "It's fine Kara, Alex has broken many bones before." Eliza takes Alex's shoulder in a gentle hold. "We'll take her to the Maester and grab what's left of dinner."

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

**Alex: Age fifteen / Kara: Age fourteen**

Kara and Alex are racing two horses from the stable, seeing who can win the bet they've made this week. Winn's stuck in the castle with another chest cough. He always got sick this time of the year and Eliza always fluttered about his side, worried that he wouldn't handle the northern sickness even though he'd had it many times before. The snow is thrown up behind them as they push the horses to go faster. Kara's horse was older and more cautious, stubborn, while Alex's was young and followed each order from Alex like his life depended on it.

Kara was still winning though, smart in her path to the old stump they'd race to when they had the day to run free. Kara's laughter rings out as she gets closer to the stump, taking the low easy path and Alex grunts, shifting her mount to take the shorter but more difficult path. He was a good jumper, they'd be fine. Alex did not want to lose, to have to muck the stalls. Even though if either of them won they'd both be doing it. They always did it together despite who had won or lost. It was the thrill of winning that pushed them both. The thrill of a challenge. 

Her mount lunges over a log, lungs heaving under her legs and his eyes are wide with delight and the thrill of competition. He jumps over another fallen log with ease, muscles flexing under Alex. She urges Grey to jump the last log, the one that will lead her straight to the marker for the end of the race. He jumps and clears the log easily. His feet hit the snow and he stumbles suddenly, having caught his hoof on something. Alex flies from the saddle with a shout and Grey crashes into his side, letting out a loud noise of terror and pain as his reins tangle in the log and jerk him back. Kara shouts out in shock, heels pressing into Nym's side to lead her right to Alex. She lunges off Nym and falls to her knees at Alex's side. Grey neighs in fear and jerks away from them, his reins not allowing him to flee like he wants. Nym presses into his side, ever calm and Alex looks to where Grey is staring wide eye, she and Kara both jerk back in terror, soft sounds leaving their throats.

They hold still before they realize the large wolf is not moving, not even breathing. Alex stands shakily, moving towards the wolf. Kara's at her side, eyes wide. There's red snow surrounding the wolf, like it'd bled out. Alex touches the wolf slowly and finds it cold, she lets out a shuddering sigh of relief. Nym seems to calm Grey down enough for him to stop jerking against his tangled reins and Kara touches the wolf as well. "How do you think it died?"

"Don't know." Alex murmurs, she eyes it's long knotted dark grey fur. "Must've got hurt hunting."

"Are all wolves this big?" Kara murmurs, awed, it was easily larger than Kara, maybe just as big as Nym.

Alex shakes her head. "No, only dire wolves, but father said they haven't been south of the wall for decades."

Kara frowns, continuing to stroke the thick fur. "I suppose this might have been the last one south of the wall."

They hear a high pitched whimper and they both jerk away from the wolf, as if it's cold body will come to life. They stand in tense silence before they see something move under the log Grey had jumped over. Kara drops to her knees, looking into the small hole. Alex crouches down beside her and Kara stretches her hand in. "What're you doing?" Alex hisses.

"Shh." Kara murmurs before pulling her hand back. In it is a grey-white wolf pup, young, barely old enough to be weened if it was a hunting dog. It doesn't make a sound. "I think there's more." Kara stretches and pulls out two dead pups before pulling another live one out. This one is dark, almost completely black and it growls at them. Sharp baby teeth bared and its pup blue eyes bright with intent. Alex takes that one, wrapping her cloak around it. It struggles, letting out low noises of discontent. They hold them in their arms, and Kara looks sadly at the two dead pups and the mother, her hands gently stroking the soft fur of the pale pup in her arms. It is far calmer than the one in Alex's arms. 

Alex nudges Kara from the dark haunting thoughts that cloud blue eyes. "C'mon Kara, lets get home. I think I can talk father into letting us keep them. They're dire wolves." Alex grins.

Kara nods, standing up slowly, thoughtful. "The true born Starks will have their sigil."

Alex furrows her brow rolling the words through her head, sometimes Kara had a way of speaking that muddled the brain. A way that took a second to filter through the words and find the true meaning. "You deserve one Kara."

The blonde shakes her head, stroking her finger down the fur surrounding the fading blue eyes of the pup in her arms. Soon they'd been amber in color. "Winn is a ward of the North as well, If he doesn't have one neither should I."

"We'll share then, the three of us. Mom and dad can have that one." She motions to the pale grey-white one in Kara's arms before she lifts up the black one, it growls in annoyance and Grey shies away from them. "We'll keep this one, it's growling means its fierce. It'll need to be to keep up with us."

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

 

**Alex: Age sixteen / Kara: Age fifteen**

Jeremiah rubs at his graying hair, eyes weary with the argument that had been going on since he'd brought Alex into the room. "They both match you intellectually Alex."

Alex grits her teeth, standing defiant across from him, there's mud on her breeches and a sword strapped to her back. She'd been practicing with Winn when he'd found her, when the letters had finally come and action demanded to be taken. "I don't want to marry them father."

He leans against his desk, pinching at the brow of his nose. They'd talked circles and circles around each other, Alex refusing each time. Listing off many attributes and reasons why she couldn't marry either of the betrothal candidates. He would have had Eliza give this conversation but knew his wife, she would have eventually caved under Alex, under the pressures Alex knew to hit. Jeremiah knew everything his daughter would say and nothing could change what needed to be done. The realm depended on how these next few years played out and Alex's marriage had much to do with that. "I know, and I wish you didn't have to, but it is your duty as a Stark."

"There must always be a Stark in Winterfell." Her chest is still but her hands shake, there's a sheen of tears, possibly of frustration or anguish, in her eyes. "I thought I was to stay here. Marry here, whats changed father? Whats going on?"

Jeremiah stares at his daughter, always surprised when she saw through everything. It seems she'd finally lost the will to argue, and now has reached her questioning stage. He always forgets how insightful she was. "There's a war coming, we must take precautions."

That stops the shaking of her hands and she calms, mind racing before her brows furrow. "What about Kara?"

His jaw clenches and he rubs at it, attempting to curb the frustration he feels. "Kara and Winn will find their way just as you will yours."

She steps closer, meeting his weary eyes. "Let them come with me."

"What?"

"You want Winn to learn to be a better knight. I've been training with him, he's getting better." There's a desperation in her eyes that makes Jeremiah ache. He's put that there with his planning, with these marriage proposals. "Kara and Winn need to see the world outside of Winterfell, let them come with me."

He shakes his head, pushing off of his desk to stand in front of his daughter. "Kara must remain here."

"Why are you so scared of letting her outside of Winterfell? She's not a daughter of a known dissident." There's a dangerous gleam to Alex's eyes. 

"She belongs here." And he's stern, far sterner than he'd ever been with Alex. 

"She deserves her freedom!" Alex snaps, always so emotional when it came to the blonde girl. "Not to be trapped here."

"You speak of matters you don't know."

"Then tell me!" Alex begs, hands shaking as she throws them wide. "Explain to me."

"I can't, i'm sorry." He tries to meet her gaze but she just glares at him. "I'll allow Winn to accompany you for a couple months, but Kara remains here."

"Winn stays if Kara stays."

"Alex." He growls out, frustrated.

She sneers at him like she'd never done. "She needs someone here if you're shipping me off to be _married."_

Bones weary and heart heavy he sighs. "One day you'll understand Alex."

Alex stares at him for what seems like eternity, her eyes seemingly seeing right through him. It was something he knew she'd picked up from his wife, it was just as disarming as when Eliza gave him that piercing look. He remains stonic and still, waiting for Alex to break. "Mother would at least tell me why." Alex scoffs out, arms crossed.

Jeremiah purses his lips. "Your mother has her own ways."

"Does she know?"

"Yes." He catches her gaze with his own, tries to ease the anger and frustration Alex feels. "Duty above all else."

"The words of mother's house are family, _duty,_ honor. Family is first for a reason." She bites out, as defiant as she was when she first rebelled against the dresses her mother had made for her.

"Duty above all else." He smooths his fingers across her face, she lets him which is a miracle of itself. He looks haggard, like the secrets he held were eating him alive, aging him. "You'll understand one day, when you're older."

She scoffs, jerking back away from him. "I'm sixteen, if i'm old enough to be forced into marriage i'm old enough to know the secrets that pain you."

"When the time is right, you'll know."

* * *

* * *

 

"I'll go with you to the Wall!" She's pacing in front of J'onn, he'd been visiting Winterfell to speak to her father and rest before heading back to the Wall and his men when Alex had cornered him, wide eyed and desperate after she'd left her father's study.

J'onn sets a hand on her trembling shoulder. "You would make a great Nights Watch, you could even make Lord Commander after I leave, but it is not right for you."

"What?" Alex stiffens, wild and full of too many emotions. "You think I can't do it? I'm strong, I could beat most of the men in your company."

He is so gentle, in his eyes and words. Like he weighs them before he speaks, like he can see how each one effects her. "It's not that you aren't strong Alex, you are daughter to the Warden of the North. You are meant for more than being just another crow on the wall."

Her lip trembles and J'onn is reminded of how old she is, barely sixteen. Old enough to be married but young enough to want different. "I could protect people there, protect the realm, more than I could as some _Lord's_ wife." She spits out the title and it just confirms everything J'onn's known since she was a young girl, when she'd followed him around and swung a wooden sword like it was real. He holds open his arms and she falls into them, showing him weakness when she wouldn't show her parents.

He longs for his own daughters, long gone. With a heavy heart he speaks the words he know will change her mind, knows exactly where her father wants her. Needs her. It kills him to not take her to the wall with him. To push her to where her father says she needs to be. To push her away. "You cannot protect Kara from beyond the wall."

She pulls back from him, brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"You relinquish your hold on your land. You will not be Lady of the North." He presses gently with his words, knows each will be a nail in the coffin of her dreams. The Black had always been something she wanted, something she had as an escape route. "You will not live in Winterfell. The Nights watch becomes your family. You'll not see Winterfell until long after your training, and only with permission. Do you remember the oath?"

"Yes." And she almost tells him it, almost pledges then and there but J'onn's compassionate face stops her. He looks so very sorry and so very sad.

"There is so much more for you than swearing to the night Alex." His fingers squeeze her shoulder and he does not drop her gaze, he holds it. "You will be great."

"I don't want to marry." Her words crack and tears fall from her eyes, her shoulders tremble under his hand. "I don't want to leave Winterfell."

His eyes are sadder than she'd ever seen them and he pulls her in for another hug. She clings to him, sobbing into his coat. "I know. But you are brave Alex, you will do what is necessary." He holds her, knowing she'll be leaving tomorrow, that her father was pushing to leave as soon as possible. To put plans into action.

* * *

* * *

 

Later that afternoon Alex and Kara make their way to the Godswood like they always do when they want to talk without prying ears. Kara's pressed into her side, two coats on verses Alex's one. Storm stops outside the trees, standing guard for them like always. The trees close in around them and Kara leads Alex to the Heart tree, a place Kara finds comfort in. They sit on the bench in silence, Kara huddled against Alex to stop from shivering. The wind sweeps through their hair and a calm settles around them, away from the hustle of the castle and the presence of too many people. Finally Alex speaks, chin dropped to her chest. "Father's sending me away."

"What?" Kara stands up in shock, eyes wide and chest heaving. _"Alex?"_

Alex's face twist in distaste and fear as she jerks to her feet and begins to pace, unable to stay still. Feet throwing up snow, all the calm she had from sitting on the bench in the quiet with Kara gone. "I am to be married."

Kara steps in front of her and crowds close. Stopping the pacing as her fingers tangle with Alex's, they tremble. "We can run away, you won't have to marry some Lord." Her blue eyes are desperate and wide.

"They'd chase us down and send you to the black and me to marry still." Alex frowns, hand trembling. "It's not just any Lord, father's set it up so it's either Lord Maxwell or Prince Lex." Her jaw clenches and her lips tremble, there's a fear hidden in her eyes. "I've yet to tell father I've chosen Maxwell.

"I don't like the way Maxwell looks at you." Kara intones roughly, there's something dangerous to the timbre of her voice. Something only Alex had ever heard. This deep seated rage Kara always kept a handle on around everyone else. Blue eyes flash with it and wide shoulders stiffen. 

"I don't either." Alex squeezes Kara's hand, trying to get the blonde to look up at her and stop glaring at the snow below their feet. "But the Bolton's are closer than King's Landing, I'd at least see you. I'd stay in the north." Kara drops her hands and Alex's heart nearly stops at the thought of Kara pulling away.

Kara moves her hands to grip Alex's face, holding her gaze. "Don't sully yourself to Maxwell Bolton because you want to stay in the north." Kara's blue eyes are scared but sure. "I want you safe too."

"You think I couldn't handle Max?" Alex scoffs, but her hands shake as she reaches up to curl them around Kara's wrists, to feel her heart pound under her fingertips.

"The Bolton's are not kind." They'd heard stories and they'd seen the way Max had looked at Alex at the last meeting Winterfell held for the Northern families. "They will make way for Winterfell. Maxwell will want an heir in you so he has claim to Winterfell."

"I couldn't marry the man who hates you anyway."

Kara's grip tightens on Alex's cheeks and Kara's heart thunders swift and steady under Alex's fingertips. "Then don't marry him, he doesn't _deserve_ you."

"King's Landing is so far away Kara." She shakes her head, tears in her eyes, matched by the tears in Kara's. "A three weeks ride."

"If we can't run away then I can raven you nearly every day." Her breath stutters in her chest like the thought of being separate from Alex aches, makes her lungs heavy and her heart cold.

Alex presses her forehead to Kara's, closes her eyes. She and Kara had always been close, closer than a bastard and a Lord's daughter had any right to be. "I don't want to _leave."_

Kara's brow furrows and her shaking fingers slip around the back of Alex's neck, leaving a warm trail in their wake. "I love you."

Alex presses closer, until she can feel Kara against every part of her. "I love you Kara." Her chin trembles and she's glad they're in the Godswood, hidden away from prying eyes. She itches to press a kiss to Kara's lips, itches to give herself completely to Kara before it can be taken by a man she does not, _cannot,_ love.

Kara beats her to it, pressing a chaste kiss to her lips, their first. Lingering there, eyes closed. It seems to drag on for eternity yet be over in seconds, Kara pulling back with a shudder. Like it killed her not to touch lips again. Alex steps forward to cover the small shift back Kara takes, slumping into Kara's arms. Kara's shorter than she is by half a head but she takes the weight of Alex's burden. They don't kiss again, Alex is the Lady of Winterfell, soon to be married to the prince and Kara is ward of the north, a Riverland's bastard. Nothing about them will allow them to be together. "I'll miss you." Kara's voice is shaky, full of tears like it had been when she'd first came to them and nightmares plagued her.

Alex lets out a shuddering breath, emotions tightening her throat and she croaks out. "Me too." She struggles not to cry, not to force any more burden on Kara's strong but young shoulders. They stand there together, wrapped around one another until the sun falls below the horizon and the woods grow colder. When a lone howl shatters the quiet night they make their way back to the castle, hands tangled together. Storm is at the edge of the woods, waiting for them. She presses into Alex's legs, coming barely up to the sixteen year-old's hips, the dire wolf still gangly in her youth just as Alex is. They both had yet to reach their full height.

Their home is quiet, eerily so, like Winterfell can feel the melancholy in the air. Unknown to them they are watched, from the higher balcony that connects to Jeremiah and Eliza's room. Eliza's light eyes following them. The way they're pressed side by side, hands entwined and eyes cast low in sadness. Jeremiah rubs at his brow, writing out a letter to both the King and Lord Bolton, he'd send them off before he went to bed tonight and they'd make it there by the next evening, soon enough for him and Alex to be on the road. "Do they know?" Eliza questions her husband even as she refuses to tear her gaze away from her daughter and Kara.

"Kara's aunt kept her lineage a secret, she was young enough when Astra took her away to forget her parents." He dips his quill back into the ink. "Kara has no knowledge, neither shall Alex."

They'd hidden Kara away and protected her like Eliza had Winn, though the woman knew she and Jeremiah had very different reasons for protecting their two wards. "You think Kara's blood will remain dormant?"

"She is in the North." He stands to make his way to his wife. "Fire cannot spark in the snow."

"Then Kara cannot go to King's Landing, where fire lived." She stares at the way the two girl's are pressed together, knows in her heart that this marriage will shatter them. "That means we're sending our daughter into the lion's den without a familiar soul."

"The old gods have spoken, the seer has." He rests his hand on her shoulder. "It will play out accordingly."

She steps away from his hold, pressing her hands into the railing of the balcony. It's cold against her hands and the chill of the air bites into her skin. "You play our daughter like a piece on a board."

"I love Alex, truly, she is my greatest creation, but the safety of the realm is at stake." Without looking back Eliza knows his eyes will be wild like they were the first time he'd come back from war. "Alex will play her part just as we all will."

Her hands tighten on the railing and she can feel Jeremiah step closer to her, seeking forgiveness. Eliza shuts him down with swift words. "She deserves so much more than what is in store for her."

"She'll understand one day Eliza." His words are desperate. "Just as you came to my love."

There's a pause in their conversation as they watch the two girls and their dire wolf finally enter the castle, she can't help but to ache for them. "They say that the north freeze the heart of those that live in it." Eliza murmurs quietly.

"It is not a cold heart that has me do this." He squeezes Eliza's shoulders once more before heading back inside to the desk to finish writing. He knows Alex's choice, knows what Kara will have talked her into. He knows the two of them, saw them grow these last few years and saw the old gods will. Alex will be betrothed to the prince and the pieces will fall into place as they were meant to.

Eliza continues to stand on the balcony, looking over Winterfell, a place so much colder than the rivers she came from. Jeremiah's dire wolf comes to sit near her, staring out at the dark night, his grey-white fur almost glowing as he presses into her side as silent as ever. She strokes her fingers along the top of his head, finding comfort from the strange creature that would surely grow larger as the years passed. 

* * *

 

Kara doesn't come to tell her goodbye the next day and Alex understands though it pains her. If Kara told her not to leave Alex would jump off the horse and fight to stay in Winterfell. Or she'd take her horse and run as far and fast as she could with Kara and Storm at her side. She'd run far away from marriage proposals and the place she grew up if Kara asked her to. It was for the best even though it hurt.

She hugs Winn close, he's still half a head shorter than her, but he will get his height as the years pass. He looks young here, pulling at the strings to his coat when she pulls back and staring at Alex like she was walking to her funeral. They'd grown together, come to rely on one another. Winn always took loss hard, harder than most and Alex aches for him, is glad he and Kara will have one another. 

Storm presses into her hip to comfort her and Alex stares at the dark dire wolf. The wolf is north through and through and will stick out in King's Landing. Storm won't survive enclosed in the castle walls and cobble streets. She'll grow restless and longing for the snow and trees of the north just as Alex will. Unwilling to subject her dire wolf to what she would go through Alex bends down to pull her companion into a tight hug, burying her face into dark fur. Tears threaten to leave her eyes, but Storm is just as much Kara and Winn's as she is hers even despite her Stark blood. "Go to Kara Storm, take care of her." The wolf lets out a low whine, bumping her head into Alex's shoulder before loping off to find Kara.

Alex's hands tremble as she stands and watches her wolf lope away, Eliza stares at her in worry. "Alex?"

"Storm isn't built for King's Landing." Her voice shakes despite willing it not to.

"Oh my sweet girl." She pulls Alex in for a tight hug. "I will miss you so." Alex nods, sniffing down the emotions that threaten to rise as she buries her face into her mother's shoulder. Eliza rubs at her back soothingly. "You're father will be there a week with you, to make sure you settle okay." Eliza pulls back and Alex looks up. her mother smooths soft fingers over Alex's reddened cheeks. "There must be a Stark in Winterfell or I'd come with you."

Alex nods through her anguish and fear. "I love you mom."

Eliza presses a kiss to her daughter's forehead. "We'll see each other soon." Alex nods and pulls away, pulling in a shuddering breath.

Alex climbs on her horse, it's not Grey, her father wanting a more seasoned horse to carry Alex to King's Landing. She clicks her tongue to get the horse to follow after the guards and her father. Jeremiah had already said his goodbyes and he begins to lead them out of the gates of Winterfell. Behind her Whisper presses into Eliza's side like he does every-time Jeremiah leaves. Eliza tangles her fingers into his fur and Winn is leaning heavily into Eliza's side, face twisted in loss. Up high, in the most eastern tower, Storm lets out a low mournful howl. It echos eerily through the slopes of Winterfell and through the castle. Wet blue eyes watch from the balcony, fingers tangled into the wolf's dark fur.  

* * *

* * *

They're nearly done with the three week journey to King's Landing when her father receives another raven, Alex is waiting until she gets to King's Landing to send a raven to Kara with the news, she's knows Kara won't send one until Alex confirms her safety. Jeremiah reads over the letter in his hand, humming deeply to himself before putting it away, his eyes glaze over for a second before he comes back to himself. He smiles softly at Alex. "They've yet to decide on a date of marriage." He says it as if it will appease the unease Alex has felt since the announcement of her impending marriage.

Something hot burns in her gut and she stares at her father accusingly. "Than why am I going to King's Landing so soon?"

"You are the betrothed of the prince, you will get to know him and his family." He's staring at her with those eyes that aren't the ones of her childhood. They're haunted and they send shivers down her spine. "You must find your footing in King's Landing, it is not the North. They have different customs than the North."

She nods sharply, forcing her words to stay calm like the Septa had tried to teach her and how Kara had easily managed to keep Alex's words calm. "Do you go back to Winterfell after this week?"

His eyes do the funny nearly glazed thing they've done since the first war, she vaguely remembers watching him the night he'd come home after sacking King's Landing with the Baratheons. Bloodied, bleary eyed and shouting. "I've a job in the east, I can only stay for the feast the night we arrive."

Alex furrows her brow, and the fire spreads from her gut up to her chest, thick and angry. "Mother said you'd be staying a week with me."

"I received new orders." He moves his horse closer to hers, regret and guilt on his face. "I am sorry Alex, I do wish I could stay longer."

"It's fine." She mutters, shying away from him, there used to be a time, before he left for missions, where he had been softer, more caring. But he will not stay with her in King's Landing where she will be among people she's never met before. He will not stay to help her adapt in a new environment and she has no Kara or Storm to comfort her. Loneliness feels heavier than she thought it would.

* * *

 

 The gates open before them and a regiment of Kingsguard lead them to the steps of the castle that holds the king's family. There's something familiar about the arches of the doors and the statues, the pick at the back of her head, inkling but they soon vanish the second she spots the king making his way down the steps. Alex follows her father's movements, dismounting from her horse and bowing. Lionel Baratheon laughs and pulls her father into a hug. "None of that my dear friend, we owe much to you. Our children are to marry." He looks at Alex, dark Baratheon eyes taking her in sharply. "You look well, last I saw you were running around swinging a sword at any that would pass you.

Jeremiah laugh and Alex forces her lips to twitch into a smile. "She still does, is Lex here? i'm sure Alex would be happy to meet her betrothed."

"Yes, yes, he is with his mother inside, I wanted to see you both first." He grins at them, offering his arm to Alex. She takes it warily and longs for Storm pressing into her side or Kara holding her tightly. 

She enters through the doors of the castle and follows the king to a dining area. The prince has the king's dark hair but he has his mother's piercing grey eyes. There's a girl near them, in a regal dress. She's got the dark hair of the king, darker than even the prince's and bright eyes, not brown like the king's and not pale grey like the queen's. She's the bastard daughter Lionel took in then, nearly legitimatized. Lena Baratheon. Lex rises from his seat, bowing slightly, Alex bows to both him, the queen and Lena before sitting in the chair next to her father.

Lionel tears into some roast on his plate, cleaning his mouth swiftly with a napkin before speaking boastfully. "Tell me Alexandra, do you still swing that wooden sword of yours around?"

Alex swallows, looks to her father who is glazed eyed and almost seems to be elsewhere. Alex licks her lips, searching the faces around her. Lex's hands are calloused like his father's, the shocking thing is that Lena's hands are also calloused. Alex lets out a quiet exhale before grinning. "It's metal now."

He laughs, amused, pounding his hand on the table. Lillian jerks at the abrupt noise of flesh on wood but stills. "I knew you'd keep up at it, so stubborn as a child. Just like your mother." He leans forward, dark eyes sparking. "Lex and Lena like to spar, should you join them?"

Alex raises an eyebrow. "You want me to fight the crowned prince and your daughter?"

He waves his hand about, careless like she doesn't remember him being. "Eh, you're to marry my son, Lex likes his women to be challenging. He's never found a match in a man as a friend." Lex stiffen's slightly, Alex barely catches it before he relaxes. "He had Lena for that as a child, but you're smart,.I remember you flitting about with those books of yours in your hands and that wood sword stuck on your back. I thought you might match him rightly so."

Lex interrupts gently, pulling the conversation away from his father with practiced ease, the queen sits quietly like Jeremiah, sharp grey eyes taking everything in, her hair is coiled loosely against her head, a dark blonde her house was known for. "The grand library is directly below Lena's rooms, if you like to read we can show you sometime." There's a challenge in his eyes. Like he's daring her to dispute Lena. Daring her to judge his bastard sister like she hadn't come to love a girl people called a bastard. Like she didn't live with a boy who was little else than a hostage to the crown but a brother to her.

Alex leans forward slowly. "What books do you have?" She darts her eyes over both of them. "The Septa liked to control what I read, or tried to."

Lex smiles and something eases about him. "Any you could think of. Mother is a collector of knowledge." 

Alex bows her head like her Septa had drilled into her. "I'd be happy to see the library with you both."

Lex leans back, that dark look gone from his eyes. "After you can spar with Lena and I if you like, it gets a bit boring with just the two of us."

She eyes the guards critically. "You do not practice against your guards?"

Lex purses his lips, scowling at the Kingsguard like they were incompetent. Lena presses in gently, there's a gentle accent to her voice Alex hadn't expected. "There was a misunderstanding a year ago, Lex has yet to forgive the transgression."

Alex nods, partially confused and partially worried.  Lionel lets out a soft sound. "You hold grudges too long my son. The Kingsguard will protect you one day, if you do not trust them now they will not trust you in the future."

"Their job is to protect the king and his crown, I would assume that trust had nothing do with duty father." He takes a small bite of the meat on his plate, eyeing his father lazily. 

Lionel purses his lips, sipping at his wine. "You've your mother's tongue."

Lex blinks slowly at his father, like he doesn't have a care in the world. Alex takes this all in quickly, Lena's bowed head and Lillian's pursed lips. Her own father looks cautious but loose, he will not interfere. Alex feels like an outsider, cautious of her role here. "Mother's wit and tongue are sharper than any in the realms, I'll take your words as a compliment father."

"Bah." Lionel huffs out. "Your tongue may very well lead to trouble my boy, the council is not so understanding of sharp wit."

"Perhaps the councils needs to be redefined." There's an undertone of warning there.

Lionel laughs, not taking it as a warning at all. "You are smart my boy, when you are king i'd like to see you fight the council, pig-headed the lot of them." He gulps at his wine. "Raised you well and smart I did, you and your sister. Smarter than even I, the seven kingdoms will be lucky to have you."

Lex's eyes do the same thing she'd seen the butcher boys do when he's praised. They brighten and darken all the same. Like the praise elevated him and crushed him at the same time. Like it wasn't enough. She could see the love between them, but there was animosity as well. Lex and his father clashed. She eyes Lena, the girl is probably Alex's age and Lex has two if not three years on Alex. From the stories Alex heard Lena came to the castle at the young age of 8, there'd been an argument between Lionel and Lillian before the king had taken in his only bastard daughter. Lex seemed to love her deeply yet resent his father. 

Dinner continues to pass in a quiet affair before Lionel question Jeremiah. "You staying Jer?"

Jeremiah smiling plaintively, his eyes placid. "No, I've work that'll take me east." He dips his chin. "You know how it is, but I expect Alex will be fine without me here."

Lionel frowns, tilts his head curiously. "Not even a night my friend?"

Jeremiah shakes his head but there a little ore force to his voice now, face a little less relaxed. "I'm afraid not, I have urgent matters to attend to."

Lionel grunts. "Suppose it's fine, though I don't know why you didn't bring your wife down." He leans back in his chair, lounging like he wasn't royalty. "She hadn't been to King's Landing yet."

"There must always be a Stark in Winterfell." He parrots the words he drilled into Alex as a child, like their name kept the wall tall and the long winter at bay. "She'll take my place until I return."

"And your wards?" His eye's are narrowed in curiosity and suspicion. "They could not accompany your daughter?"

"Winn had another chest cold, the boy's been sickly these last few months." Alex doesn't let a muscle twitch on her face even though her father is lying to the king of the realms.

"Will he live?" There's a demand there, that friendliness falling away. "You convinced me to save the boy, can't have him dying on your watch Jeremiah."

"He'll be fine, he gets sick this time of year." Alex watches as her father calms the king like Jeremiah wasn't committing treason by lying to the king. "The Iron Islands did not have much in the way of staying healthy."

Lionel laughs harshly. "Bled like stuck pigs in the water they did." He swallows another goblet full of wine and Alex keeps her face on her plate, eating quietly. Lena is doing the same while Lex is staring at his father, face un-readable. Lillian looks disgusted as she sips at her water. "What about your other ward, the Riverland girl, she couldn't come?"

Jeremiah almost stiffens, Alex can see it but he is calm, collected. "She's been helping take care of Winn, refused to leave the boy's side."

"Tell me my friend, she yours?" There's that inane curiosity and suspicion most people had when they realize Kara was a bastard and not actually the daughter of the Warden of the North.

Jeremiah blinks in shock. "No, she's the daughter of Eliza's friend, couldn't very well leave her to suffer after her mother's death."

Lionel nods slowly, staring at Jeremiah with hazy alcohol full eyes. "Funny how things work out, I remember we used to beat the bastards in our time." He gazes softly at Lena. "But life has a way of changing things."

* * *

Alex sends a raven to Kara right after dinner to let her know they've made it. She doesn't complain, can't put that on Kara's shoulders despite the way the walls of King's Landing seem to surround her. Most days she spends in the library with Lena. She almost as awkward as Alex but she's shockingly witty and smart. She quiet around most other but around Lex she opens up. It took a few weeks before the girl finally opened up with just Alex in the room, cracking a awkward joke and tugging at her sleeve. Alex, feeling just as awkward had laughed so harshly her throat had been sore for two days. 

They're in the library again, reading like they always do, Lena's tinkering with some wooden and metal gears, grease staining her left sleeve before she turns to look at the sundial. Alex follows her gaze and realizes Lex usually comes to get them to spar right about now. "He's late." Alex murmurs softly before looking back to Lena.

"Lex is off learning to be King." Lena says, her lips are twisted into that half smirk she always wears as she stands slowly. 

Alex smiles softly. "I suppose we're left to our own devices?" They head over to the room, picking up the swords they'd left hanging on the wall. Lena drops her grin anytime she fights and the Baratheon comes out, eyes intent and sword fluid.

They do this for what seems like hours before there is clapping. They both jerk away to see, Lionel and Lex in the doorway. Lionel is grinning at them as he nudges Lex's shoulder. "She an Lena get on well, like my brothers and I used to!" He boasts before nudging Lex harder. "Aren't you glad I chose your betrothed my boy?" Lex's eyes have that same trapped look Alex knows her own do sometimes. Like the thought of marrying eats away at their insides but he murmurs his agreement to his father.

Sometimes, when the three of them are in the library alone Lex is almost insanely quiet, a feverish intent in his eyes as he reads book after book on King's Landing and the Targaryens. Lena always eyes him with worry but doesn't mention it. If Lena steers clear of it Alex won't touch it, not even with her curiosity piqued. She reads the books sometimes, when Lex is learning to be King and Lena is elbows deep in some contraption. There's not much in it that she didn't know already but she can't figure out why Lex is so obsessed with this book. 

One evening Alex is walking to the armory, to get a new leather strap, when she overhears a conversation between Lillian and Lex. She stills as she hears shouting, tunes into it as she shifts to hide in the shadows like she used to do as a child. "They say he lives in Dorne." Lex's voice is sharp and angry, like she'd never heard it before, a stone drops in her stomach, churning. "That he's gathering an army, father ignores this!"

"Your father has his spies." Lillian's voice is calming with Lex where with Lionel she's sharp. "All is well."

Lex scoffs, Alex can hear the clench of his jaw in his voice. "Mother, you know I am right. Father does not believe there is a single one left alive."

"I know, but we cannot risk fighting Dorne." Lillian's voice is so very weary, like she had the crown on her head, not her husband. "Not so soon after the Greyjoy Rebellion. The crown is low on funds and people will riot."

Lex scoffs loud and indignant, Alex presses tighter against the wall and keeps her ears opened. Her mother always said her curiosity would get her in trouble. "While we sit here and worry about coins he is raising an army against us."

"He has no claim to the throne Alexander, no one to support him." There a few beats of silences before the sound of footsteps, heels clicking, retreating, is heard. Then the sudden explosion of rage. Lex shouts and there's a sudden loud thump of something slamming against the wall. Alex holds still, waiting until there is complete silence before she makes her way to the library, mind reeling. King's Landing with it's endless secrets set her on edge, ate away at her like a poison. The only saving grace among all the secrets and slight of hands was the friendship with Lena and Kara's letters. The letters aren't the same a being in the same room as her, as speaking to her but it's enough to keep some of the loneliness and longing at bay. She misses Kara desperately. Misses Winterfell, her mother and Winn. Misses her dire wolf and the crunch of snow beneath her feet. She misses home.

* * *

* * *

The air presses crisply against the grey stones of Winterfell, a warning of the snow to come. Life continues around the north despite having lost their Lord's daughter to the South. The people's spirits are kept up by the sight of the dark dire wolf and the blonde, they weave throughout Winterfell like they both had months ago, the only thing missing is the long hair and scowl of their Lord's daughter as she follows after the blonde. Winterfell had adapted to the loss of the lady wolf, they were content with the rule of Lady Stark, sharp but fair, just as she was with her wards. The two dire wolves that remain at the side of those not of blood Stark kept any dissidence at bay and life moved on. The grain reserves were filled, meat and pelts brought in and swords sharpened. 

In the midst of life in the north there's the clang of metal on metal, the indication of a fight. Most had grown used to the sight of the Lord Commander that they no longer falter at him sparing with the wards of Winterfell, simply watched them and made wages on who would win that day.

J'onn block a hit from Kara and catches Winn's hand with his bony elbow, making the boy wince. "You should think about taking the black." J'onn's voice is the low melody of their childhood as he spars with both Winn and Kara at the same time. He stopped to relay some words from Jeremiah when the man had stopped by the wall on his Journey.

Winn blanches, going white. Shaking his head vehemently he backs away, his sword nearly falling out of his hand. "N-no. I don't want to. I-I can't."

Kara grabs Winn's free hand, soothing him. "Why would we take the black?" Her eyes are narrowed and Storm shifts to stand at attention, wary of J'onn like she never was before.

J'onn winces, placing his sword back on his hip, he moves to the side of the training field, grabbing a flask of water. "You are wards of Winterfell, but you can't live here forever. The Greyjoys, your father, may come for you eventually Winn." Winn pale even more so, remembering his father, the blood and the fear that had consumed him. "He can't get you if you take the black. The Night's Watch will protect you and the crown can't use you against your father." Win's eyes are lost and J'onn knows he must push Kara next, for Jeremiah had asked this of him. "There isn't much a bastard can do in the kingdoms, most go to the wall. You would be welcomed there Kara."

"I am welcomed here." She backs away slowly, hurt evident in her eyes.

"Alex would understand." J'onn starts.

"Don't." Kara interrupts him, glowering at him. "We'll think about it." Kara's hands tremble in Winn's and she pulls him away, refusing to be in J'onn's presence any more. "We'll think about it."

 Dinner is an awkward affair, Eliza looking between the three of them before something seems to click in her mind. Whisper stiffens below her at the tension that shoots through her body, sensing her ire at the man who only came a few times a year. Thin fingers sooth the white grey fur that had bristled up and she tells Winn and Kara to go finish their studies with the Septa. They both flee gratefully, Storm on their heels. 

J'onn looks up in concern and she glares at him, Whisper a large silent threat beside her, standing beside her now, taller than she is as she sits. She stands and J'onn follows after her, away from the prying ears of the servants and out to the court yard, where the wind is their only witness. "You will not ask this of them again J'onn."

J'onn's brow furrows. "Eliz-"

"No, I love them as if they were my own." She's glaring at him, blue eyes dark with rage. "I would never let a child of mine take the black."

"They will be safe there Eliza." He steps closer, reaching for her hand. "You know what is coming."

She jerks away from him, lips pursed and Whisper steps between her and the man that had been her friend since Alex was young. "Precisely why the wall will be dangerous in the years to come."

He lets out a soft sound, rubbing at his nearly bald head. "They are no safer in the South."

"You will not  _take_  them from me." There's deadly intent in her eyes. "If you ask them again I will kill you J'onn." 

He frowns but nods. "I will abide by your wishes, but Jeremiah mentioned wanting to send Kara with me, I thought she might like to have Winn along."

"You know _exactly_ why he wants to keep her in the snow, that is the only reason he wanted her sent her to the Wall." The threat grows exponentially the longer she speaks, as if she can summon Jeremiah with her ire and lay into him as she is into J'onn. "She will not go to the wall, I won't allow it."

"You know something." There's suspicion haunting his gaze, he trusted the Stark's endlessly, trusted Jeremiah endlessly but these last few years had been trying.

"I do, but I will not tell you it. They are  _mine_  and I will protect them with my life."

He nods sharply and the sternness falls from his face as his lips twitch, something of a snort leaves him. "I hope you will be the one to tell Jeremiah, he will be displeased."

Eliza scowls, lines that hadn't been there months ago are etched into her face. "He is my husband, I will deal with him as I always have."

He bows at the waste, showing his neck to the dire wolf that refused to leave Eliza's side before he straightens back to his full height. "I will go back to the wall, my duty to your husband's wishes is done." He moves to walk away.

"J'onn." He turns to look at her, curious. "I never did thank you for turning Alex away from the wall." He shakes his head, a soft smile twitching at his lips as he turns back around. Eliza's own lips pull into a soft smile and she watches him leave. Whisper presses into her side, letting out a huff. She smooths over his fur, he's gotten larger, coming up just past her hips, nearing at her ribs. She moves to go back to the castle, Whisper following after her as silent as ever, a whisper of the wind. Eliza has a very stern letter to send to her husband before she goes to finish tallying the grain stores.

* * *

* * *

* * *

**Alex: Age seventeen / Kara: Age sixteen**

In the year Alex had been in King's landing Lex had seemed the perfect gentleman, he'd never touched Alex, only two fingers to her elbow when he was excited about a book, or a hand held out for her to help him stand when she'd taken him down when they were sparing. He'd always grinned at her, wide and happy, it was a friendly grin. Nearly as big as the ones he would give his sister. They hadn't touch, hadn't kissed and Alex understands this. It the way he looks at the parade of women who throw themselves at his feet with his barely concealed disdain, it's the same way she'd looked at Maxwell when he'd flirted with her.  Neither of them wanted this marriage, but it seemed just as well that they'd do it. Better each other than another person who didn't understand. They could hold off the wedding as long as Lionel was king and no heirs besides Lex were needed at the moment. Lex had always been calm with Alex, challenging her intelligence in honest competition, not in Maxwell Bolton's boasting condescending way. Everything seemed to be working out for the best, of course that's when the world crumbles around them.

 Alex is eating lunch with Lena and Lex, they're daily meal after their sparing session when Lillian comes in, there's a wet sheen to her eyes and her face is pale. Lex stands pulling out a chair and leading his mother to sit in it. He kneels at her feet, worriedly searching her face for a clue as to what is wrong. "Mother, are you alright? What's wrong?"

Thin fingers comb through Lex's curly hair, her hands shake and she looks down at Lex like she's dropping the executioner's guillotine. "Your father's dead Lex, the king is dead."

Lex stands suddenly, backing away from his mother in frantic movements. "What? No." Alex catches Lena as she stumbles back, there's anguish there but also fear in her eyes. Alex helps her to the couch, eyes darting between the three Baratheons. 

"He was hunting and a boar killed him." Lillian's voice is monotone, as if she can't put the right emotion to it. Like she can't believe it.

"NO!" Lex's eyes are wild and he paces around the room. "He can't be dead, he's king. He-he's not dead."

Lillian stands slowly, wearily as she makes her way to her son, she cradles his face in her hands and he doesn't seem nineteen in this moment. He looks like a lost little boy., his mother cradling his teary face. "They're bringing him home, we'll bury him. We have to make preparations." Her eyes dart to Alex and Lena, there's a tremble to her jaw. "A funeral, a crowning ceremony, your wedding." She strokes Lex's hair from his eyes. "I am sorry Lex I know that you didn't want to be king. I know this is quicker than you expected, than you needed."

"He wouldn't die from some boar." Lex spits out, face flushed with rage and grief. "He sacked King's Landing when I was a child! H-he survived two wars, a boar wouldn't kill him."

"It was a hunting accident Alexander." Lillian's face is twisted in grief, like Lex being in pain is killing her.

"That's what they want us to think." Lex mumbles quietly. Lena shares a worried look with Alex before they both focus on Lillian, her eyes are wide with pain, shock and fear.

* * *

 

The funeral is a somber event, Lena's eyes are glossy with tears and Lillian can't look at her husband's prone body. Lex shakes with barely concealed fury and anguish. He's between Alex and Lena, taller than they are and trembling like a leaf in the wind. There's a temporary crown on Lex's head, his curls are tangled around it, soon they will have the crowning ceremony and Lex will be king. He'll be ruler of the seven kingdoms. Then they'll wedding and the kingdom will want to see little Baratheon children running around. as if sensing her thoughts Lex reaches to grab her hand, his eyes are wild with desperation, the same fear in his as in Lena's and Alex's. Fear of what's to come. They leave him in the crypt of the kings, a stag surrounded by generations of dragons. Alex doesn't look up, her chest too tight as she follows Lex out. His arm is wrapped around his mother and Lena is closly pressed to Alex side, there is this wary resignation to her. Alex recognizes it from years of living with Winn and Kara. She reaches to grab Lena's hand, pulling the girl closer to her. "Lex won't let anyone force you to leave, you are his sister."

Lena's jaw trembles as she spits out. "I'm the bastard of the dead king."

"And the sister of the new king." Alex presses, soothing the hurt in the girl. "Lex won't let anything happen to you, he loves you."

Lena nods. "I-I. Thank you Alex, I needed to hear that." Her fingers tighten in Alex's and Alex nods sharply, they follow after Lex until they are safely away in the sun-room. Every picture of Lionel is covered in a black sheet. The sheets would be taken down three days after the funeral. In four Lex would be crowned King, the council allowing the family to grieve for a few day. Lex sits with his head in his hands and Lena crowds close to him, offering and seeking comfort. Lillian had a goblet of wine in her hand, yet to take a sip of it. Alex sits down next to Lex and he reaches for her hand, there's that child like desperation still in them. The want to rebel against what fate is giving them.

* * *

The crown is placed on Lex's head four days later and he raises from his knees. His shoulders are pulled back like they could bear the weight of the seven kingdoms and he stands tall in his father's shadow. His curls are already tangling into the crown and he looks so young up there, as young as Alex looked when she was told she would marry. Her lips tremble, they were children playing at being adults. "King Alexander Baratheon!" The crowd cheers after the announcement and Alex claps along slowly, Lillian has this weary look about her, like the crown was poison. Lena stays close to Alex's side, her own face drawn in worry. 

Lex is composed on the stage, eyes hard and his once easy grin gone. "I do not take this throne without a heavy heart. My father is dead, _your_ king is dead. I will try to do right by him for he loved his people and his people loved him." The crowd cheers louder and Lex steps down. He moves to his mother, linking his arms with her before making his way to the dining room, his eyes flick to Alex and Lena and they follow after him to the table where they would eat. The one that they'd all sat at Alex's very first day here. Lex sits at the head of the table, brow furrowed as he takes the seat that was once his father's. He has his mother sit where he once sat, to the king's right and Alex sits to Lex's left. Lena sits down next to Alex, forgoing sitting next to Lillian. The feast commences and the crowd is happy, chatting but the royal family is not, they're somber.

* * *

* * *

* * *

Lex's eyes are wild as he storms into the council meeting, he'd been closed away in his office for a week before he'd even come out. Face pale and eyes bloodshot his first stop is the council meeting. "I want everything on the Targaryen's, some of them had to have lived. Kalel escaped."

"He was barely ten then." The Master of Coins speaks up, twirling a small pendant in his hands. "It is possible he is dead."

"I don't live on possibilities! I want facts, find all the Targaryen's and their deaths."

The Master of Laws, a surly man with a girth near as wide as his height, speaks up from beside the Master of Coin. "It was eleven years ago my king, sur-"

"Did I stutter?" He glares at them, danger in his eyes.

"No, but there may be more pressing matters." The Grand Maester speaks up, his wrinkled face etched with concern

Lex pauses, taking in the almost tense air around his small council. He lets out a slow breath to calm himself. "Name them then."

The Grand Maester seems to grow in his seat, smiling like he's won. "Your marriage, you need to set a date. An heir needs to be born."

Lex's nostrils flare and he fights to control this rage that had settled in him at the announcement of his father's death. "I am king, do you see me ordering you to marry and produce children?"

Still the Grand Maester presses. "An heir to the throne is needed."

Lex stares at them and the silence in the room is imposing. Finally when all the council members are looking around cautiously, all except that Hand of the King, who looks calm if not bored with the discussion of heirs, does Lex break the silence. "We have an heir apparent."

"Who?" The Maester of Laws breaks, glaring at Lex like he was the eight year old boy that clambered into the room eleven years ago behind his father's coat tails. "You father's brothers are dead! You've no cousins."

Lex steeples his fingers over the table, calm now that somethings been decided in his head. "I have a sister."

"She is a bast-" Lex pulls his sword free, standing swiftly and holds it at the throat of the man, the Maester of Laws, who dare speak.

"Finish that word and I will slice you open. My father wanted to legitimize Lena but he didn't want to offend my mother." The sword presses until there's a small drop of bool clinging to the steel. "The throne had an heir so he kept quiet. There is no heir and Lena is the only with Baratheon blood besides myself. She is heir apparent."

The council nods, eyeing Lex warily. Lex sits back down, smile crossing his face. "Good, I will not wed Alex until she is eighteen."

The council jerks back in shock, though the Hand to the King, Samuel Tyrell, watches Lex curiously as the Grand Maester splutters out. "Eighteen? That's a year from now, and nine months after that for an heir to be born!"

"I've already told you we have an heir until a child is born." Lex growls out. His hands fisted. "I will not wed Alexandra Stark until she is eighteen."

The Master of Laws is surprisingly quiet as the Grand Maester pushes, angry. "What does the difference of one year make? She is seventeen and ample age to give birth."

Lex's face reddens and he slams his hands down on the table. "My betrothed and I do not  _need_ your permission to marry. My father said this would be a long betrothal and I will not break that promise because of his death. We planned to marry years _after_ she turned eighteen but I will not wed her before that."

"She is a winter-born is she not?"  The once silent council member, the Master of Ships, speaks swiftly.

Lex narrows his eyes at the man. "She was born at the beginning of the winter months yes."

"Baratheon wed only in the spring." The Master of Ships spits out. "She will be halfway to nineteen by then."

Lex glares at them. "Then so be it."

* * *

* * *

Lex falls into the couch in the library, head in his hand after the disastrous council meeting. Alex looks up from reading. "Lex?" He says nothing and she moves to sit next to him, they are to be married and he is her friend. She must offer comfort. "Lex, what's wrong."

He shudders and looks up at her. "I put off the wedding until the spring after you turn eighteen." His jaw clenches. "I wanted to put it off longer but the council barely settled for what I gave them."

Alex rubs at her forehead, the weight of what's to come heavy on her shoulders, she can't imagine how Lex is feeling. "You didn't have to put it off, I know it will look bad to not wed me quickly and have a child."

Lex sneers. "You're barely seventeen and i'm barely nineteen, we don't need children right now. I don't want children right now." His hands shake and he looks as scared as she is at the prospect of marriage and children. "They just wanted an heir so I gave them one." Alex furrows his brow and he sighs. "I told them Lena was heir apparent as the last of Baratheon blood."

Alex leans back, grinning. "They did not take that well."

"No." He huffs out. "They called her a bastard! Like she doesn't have his blood flowing through her veins same as me." 

He pulls at the crown that sticks to his head, jerking at it before Alex leans forward to untangle his curls from the crown and allow his shaking hands to pull it away from his head. She pulls her hands away from him, leaning back against the side of the couch. "Did you at least warn her? I don't think Lena's ever wanted the crown."

 "I don't ever want her to have the burden." he stares at the crown in his hands like it was a viper. Like it was poison itself. "But it gives us more time to put off children, she will understand."

* * *

* * *

* * *

Kara tosses the ten rabbits she and Winn had killed into a basket, Storm still chewing on the one she'd caught, blood coating her maw. She's up past Kara's hips now, though Kara is far taller than she was a year ago. Storm coming almost to her ribs nearly makes it look like the Kara hasn't gotten taller, like her shoulders haven't widened. Kara pats at Nym's haunches, she is calm in Storm's presence like she had been from the start. It had taken many of the other horses nearly the two years of the dire wolf's age to get used to the larger than normal wolves.

Winn un-tacks his horse a smile on his face as it butts at his shoulder, searching for the treat they all know Winn brings for them. Kara's wiping down Nym when they both spot the crow flying to the castle, there's a gold string on it's leg, gleaming in the sunlight. the gold means it's from King's Landing and Kara nearly drops the crushes. Winn laughs at Kara's eager expression and longing, pushing at her shoulders. "Go, i'll finish this."

Kara pulls her friend into a tight hug. "Thanks Winn, I owe you one." She grabs the basket of rabbits and takes off running towards the castle, Storm on her heels. Feeding off of Kara's excitement. She drops the rabbits off in the kitchen, barely hearing the cook's thanks as she races up the stairs, Storm's claws clicking on the tone behind her.

Eliza's reading the parchment when she enters the study and Kara furrows her brow. "Eliza?" Eliza usually didn't read Alex's ravens to Kara.

The woman looks up, parchment crinkled in her hand, her eyes are wide in shock. "The king is dead."

"What?" Her heart stops, and she stumbles closer to Eliza. "Ho- Is Alex alright? Was it an attack on King's Landing?"

"Alex is fine, he died during a hunting trip." Eliza rubs at her brow, slumping into her chair. "Lex is being named King after the funeral and Alex will be his wife, they've yet to decide on a date but Alex will let us know."

Kara stumbles back, Alex had always talked like the wedding was far off, years down the line. Always talked about how once she'd figured out King's Landing she'd get them to let her come home for a few months. It had yet to happen in the year she'd been gone and Kara misses her desperately. Alex being queen means there will be no time to see Kara, no time to come home to Winterfell. The world darkens around her eyes and Eliza lets out a soft sound of understanding. Storm presses into Kara's side, offering stability. "It'll be soon won't it?"

Eliza frown down at the parchment before looking towards Kara. "Yes, the throne will need an heir." Kara flinches back at that and Eliza sighs. "Sh-Alex will be fine, she's always been strong."

Kara's hands clutch at her thigh, hard enough to bruise and Storm licks at her hands, trying to keep the girl from injuring herself. "She didn't want to marry."

"I know." Eliza stands slowly, wearily. "But sometimes things don't happen as we'd hope them to."

* * *

The months pass and Alex continues to send ravens to Kara, telling her about King's Landing. About Lillian showing Alex what it entails to be queen. Lena and her shock at being heir apparent. The delay of the wedding. Everything she can think of to stop Kara from fracturing the way Alex feels like she is. The world seems to be circling around heir, lineages, new council members and wedding plans. Lex is as disgusted by the dress choices they bring in for Alex as she is. Lillian watches them both with sharp eyes and Lena laughs at them, eased by her place in the family again. 

"Lex never wanted to marry." Lillian starts one evening without preamble. Alex stiffens, hands fisting the blank parchment she'd almost started to write on. "I can see it in you as well." Alex looks up, eyes wide and heart in her throat. Lillian meets Alex's gaze steady and sure, like she isn't cracking every single pillar of Alex's foundation down with her words. "I will not stop this wedding, I think you are the only one to understand my son. You've similar likings and dislikes." Lillian continues to go through the paperwork she'd present Alex with, paperwork similar to what her mother had shown her in Winterfell, birthing records and coin deposits, without missing a word. "Lex will be faithful to you, I implore you to be as well." There's a threat there.

Alex stiffens, knees jittering under the table, hidden from the woman. "I'd never be anything but faithful to my betrothed."

"Good, Lex has a fragile heart." She stares Alex down like she can see the future, like Alex could decide on a breaking vows now and Lillian would see them. "Betrayal would shatter him." Alex nods sharply and gets back to filling out the reports Lillian had told her to oversee.

Lex comes to dinners less and less, the wild crazed look still in his eyes. Alex had seen both Lillian and Lena tries to talk him into coming more frequently, Lena worried and near begging and Lillian, cautious and bordering on ordering her son to come to dinner. Alex keeps her mouth shut and just follows him one day, curious. Lena had told Alex to leave Lex be, that he has moments of obsession that would disappear after a few weeks but Alex ignores her in favor of finding out what her betrothed is doing. She finds him in the dungeons. Her hand covers her mouth to keep any sound from escaping. Samuel Tyrell is whispering to Lex in the shadows, before them are cells filled with men and women. Bright blue eyes and hair darker than the night. She'd read enough history to know those are attributes belonging to Kalel Targaryen, the son of Jorel, brother to Zorel the previous king. There's a row of heads leading to the cell that Lex is in front of, the door is wide open. There is a broad man in the cell, hands shackled and blue eyes blazing. His dark hair is pulled back, though pieces of it fall out and stick to his sweaty shoulders, his skin is dark from working outside. "You call yourself a king, you're false." He spits the words out like they could tear Lex down.

"Do you hear him spout the words of the Targaryen's?" Samuel's words are cloying, manipulative. Lex doesn't seem to see that, eyes wild as he listens to the Hand of the King and stares at the man in front of him. "That's what they called your father when he lead the rebellion against the mad king."

Lex presses closer to the cell. "Are you a Targaryen?"

"Does it matter?" The man spits out, glaring at Lex. "You'll kill me either way,  coward just like your father."

Lex snaps, bringing his sword down to behead the man. It slides through his bones easily, spraying blood everywhere. Lex's arm shakes and Samuel sets a hand to his shoulder, hands far too large for Lex's thin shoulders. "If he did not have the blood then he was surely a Targaryen supporter, he spoke the same words as they did when your father liberated King's Landing from them."

Lex nods and his hand trembles, there's blood splattered on his cheek and Alex steps back but her foot hits something metallic and the King and his Hand both look up to spot her. Samuel's eyes widen and he snarls at her, Lex tilts his head, shocked and scared. "Alex?"

She swallows, knows whatever happens next will determine if she lives or dies. "Lex, who was he?" She cautious around Lex like she never thought she would have to be.

"A Targaryen supporter, if not a Targaryen. He wanted the throne, he wants my family dead." She nods slowly and his face looses it's fretfulness as he realizes she's _listening_ to him. "Alex, you understand. If there's a rabid animal in the North you put it down." His eyes are wild still but he is calming.

 "There's barely any wolves to the north." Alex starts slowly, mind racing as she tries to figure out her next move. "They used to hunt the herds of animals and kill men when starved enough. The tore through fences and villages."

"The Targaryen are like the wolves Alex." He presses into the opening she gave him, desperate to be understood. Samuel Tyrell stands behind Lex with a clenched jaw, his hand on his sword. Alex knows he'll cut her down if he thinks she'll spill their secrets. If she tells the populous or the council that the two of them are going on a tirade and hunting down anyone that could have the blue eyes of the dragons that ruled the kingdoms before the stags. "They've been chased from what they think is there land and they will kill anyone to get it back. Targaryen's have the blue eyes of dragons, lighter than the sea and as bright as the sky. They killed my father, I can't let them get the rest of my family."

Alex feels fear course through her body and for once she's happy her father didn't let Kara come to King's Landing. Kara's eyes were the bluest Alex had ever seen and Lex was deranged enough to see dragon's blood where there was none. She lets out a shallow breath, trying to stay calm. "Does your mother know?"

Lex blinks at what he believes is a non sequitur. "Mother know all secrets, she's told me to keep it quiet until admissible evidence is found."

Alex nods slowly, treading carefully. "The people will not see this as you cleansing dragons blood from the street, they do not know the dragons as you do."

Lex's shoulders relax and Samuel drops his hand from his sword, eyes narrowed. "I knew you'd understand Alex, we've the same views on nearly everything." Alex shivers, they're both intelligent, hate the thought of marrying, don't like it when people spout the word bastard and both can handle a sword decently. She prays that that's where the similarities end. That she is nothing like Lex and the crazed look in his eyes, but she knows she would burn the world down for Kara if asked.

He steps close to her, eyes still wild but he is no longer frantically trying to get her to understand. He pulls her close and she lets him press her head to his chest. He finds comfort in what he saw as approval of his methods. Her fingers tighten in his shirt and in this instant she hates her father for putting her in this situation, hates that she will marry a Lex who is slightly deranged and full of blood lust and not the sweet boy she'd met a year ago that she thought was wired the same as her.

* * *

She's in the library with Lena, trying to forget that look in Lex's eyes and the way the blood clinging to Lex had soaked into her cloths. She picks up the letter from her mother, something niggling at the fact that she hadn't received Kara's yet. She leans against the bookshelf, reading over it quickly. She drops the letter to the ground and her knees give out when she gets nearly halfway through. Lena manages to catch her, stumble to her feet and easing Alex's down to the floor. "Alex?" Alex grips at Lena's elbows, clinging to the woman who'd become a friend to her. "Alex, what's wrong?" Lena's frantically searching her face and her eyes dart to the letter, debating on reading it when Alex speaks.

"I-my. He's dead." Alex stumbles through her words. There's a crack in her heart and her stomach feels like it's churning. "My father's dead." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't fret there's at least three more chapters at the minimum in my drafts.


	2. What Kind of Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex's insides churn and she chokes out. "I know."
> 
> Kara face is twisted like she'd never seen it before, so full of hatred and rage and anguish. She's flushed with it, blue eyes blazing and muscles, stronger than Alex had ever expected them to be, taut with her almost inhuman rage. "How can you marry him?" She spits it out like a curse, like an accusation.

Alex sits in her room, back against the headboard and knees pressed to her chest. Lena had brought her here when Alex had fallen into her and sobbed into her chest. The girl had nearly refused to leave when Alex told her to go. She had nearly sat herself on the bed next to Alex, but she followed Alex's request with a frown. Another tear drips down Alex's face to soak into the cloth over her knees. She was wearing breeches despite Lillian's pursed lips most days. It brought her little comfort now, only reminded her of her father's laughter when she'd argued with her mother all those years ago. Another tears slips from her eyes burning a path down her cheeks until it lands on her knee. Her chest feels heavy and there's a deep ache inside as she stares at her knees. There's a knock on her door and she almost yells for Lena to go away but she forces out a more polite yet rough. "Yeah?"

The door opens and it isn't Lena, but Lex, his eyes are saddened and he comes to kneel on the floor by the bed. She almost tells him to get up. To go away but she'd had done the same when he had lost his father. She had been there for him and should have expected Lex to come to her. "Lex." And her word cracks and are too thick. Too full of pain and Alex thinks it shouldn't effect her so much, her father's death. He had left her in King's Landing. He had forced her into a marriage she didn't want and had kept Kara away from her for reasons she suspected were because of the way they loved one another. But he was her father, he loved her more than anything else. He was her last blood. He was the man who had made funny faces at her when he was leaving for war, the man who had taught her how to fight. He was her _father._

Lex leans forward slowly, grey eyes haunted and full of understanding. His finger comes to stroke her cheek, brushing away the falling tear. "Now you know the pain I have." There's that familiarity of it, nothing sexual like most of the soldiers had joked about on the jousting field, but caring, understanding. "We share pain now." He cups her chin and she longs for someone else's touch, someone else's long fingers and sure face, blue eyes instead of grey. It makes her gut twist even more. "We will go to Winterfell, together, we will have your father's funeral."

Alex sits up straighter, hands shaking as she stares at her knees. "There is no body." Word had been sent to her mother from the wall. Jeremiah had left with a group of ten men and only one had come back, the man covered in blood and speaking of death before he himself died. J'onn had told Eliza and Eliza had told Alex.

"He will get the funeral he deserved, he served his king well." Lex's voice grows more determined and his hand settles on her knee squeezing tightly like that alone could ground her. His other hand comes to tilt her chin up. "Mother will watch over King's Landing while we go."

Her head jerks out of his hold and she searches his face, he looks sincere. She can barely hide the fear of him being in Winterfell around Kara, can barely hide the way it makes her stomach churn, but she'd been dealing with a slightly unhinged Lex for months. She knew how to handle him. "I can't ask you to abandon the kingdom."

He offers her that smirk that he used to give her, the one when someone mentioned the wedding and they both realized they were in this together. The smirk that he and Lena seemed to share when they were arguing over books. "What kind of husband would I be if I let my future wife go alone to mourn her father. I will come with you." There's conviction, so deep and rough that Alex knows not to argue so she nods and he rises slowly, knee cracking before he sits on the bed next to her.

He pulls her head to his chest and leans back against the wall, arm tight around her like he was the only thing keeping her falling apart. Alex hates him for it, hates the way he can be so caring with Lillian, Lena and her, yet disregard his people. Cut off their heads and burn just the bodies. She hates that he thinks his bloodied hands offer the comfort that she would seek from another. And she _hates_ herself for wanting Kara. Wanting Kara here with her when Lex could very well go on another mad tirade and catch her in the crossfire.

* * *

 

Two weeks into the three week journey to Winterfell the air changes. Sharp in her lungs and chilly. It feels like home, sharp against her cheeks instead of cloying like the heat of Kings Landing. Lex trembles on the horse beside her, teeth nearly chattering and Alex fights her grin. Lex had been cold in Kings Landing when winter hit, when the air got colder and frost gathered. He'd never been North, never seen the snow that blanketed the north. So he shivers harshly and Alex is glad he left Lillian behind to run King's Landing, the woman was worse than Lex when it came to the cold. More then three fourths of the Kingsguard are with Lillian under strict order that their heads will roll if anything happens to the King's mother. Lena has a few more layers than Alex but less than Lex as she trots her horse beside them, the guards watching the three of them and their surroundings carefully.

Winterfell is colder than King's landing, and away from the blood in the water and the threats of Kings Landing Lex seems to fade back to his normal self, before his father's death, with each shiver. "I understand why your house words are  _Winter is Coming_." Lex shivers again his entire bodily shaking like every thing inside him is rattling loose. "It's colder than the head maester's heart here."

Lena lets out a snort and she looks brighter away from King's Landing as well. Alex can feel the weight falling off of them all, away from the snakes and lies of the landing. Away from the poison that seeped into their skin there. The poison of the crown. Alex lets her breath fog the air before grinning at the two southerners. "Its not even winter yet."

"You mean it gets colder here?" Lex grumbles at Alex, huddling close to his horse for warmth. He looks to Lena who seems to have no problem with it. "I would swear father had you with a northerner, you're not even shivering."

Lena laughs, cheeks flushed and pale skin bright in the snow. "Maybe i'm just made of stronger skin than you brother." Lex's eyes flash quickly but it fades away and his grin stretches across his face. Lena and Alex both relax, having stiffened when that look crept into his eyes.

* * *

Alex nearly spurs her horse into a run when Winterfell comes into view, she can nearly taste it in her lungs. Home. Lena's eyes are wide as she takes in the high stone walls and the buildings. Alex can see her mind racing as she looks to the trebuchets that Alex's ancestors had once used, still kept clean with Northern pride. The blacksmiths shop pours out smoke as they work on weapons for the Night's Watch. It smells like home and when the gate opens Alex nearly chokes when she sees them.

Eliza stands somber at the steps of the cold stone. Whisper at her side, his white grey fur brushed mostly smooth and glossy. There's a mat of fur, knotted around the back of his shoulder and neck like Eliza had been gripping there for comfort. Had tangled her fingers into his warm fur. Alex looks for Kara, for her own dire wolf and finds them in the shadows, Kara only visible by her bright hair and her dire wolf by her bright eyes hidden in black fur. Lex eases down from his horse and drops to his knees at Eliza's feet, in the way a King should not. "I am truly sorry for your loss, your husband was a great man. He did not deserve this fate."

"Nor did your father." Eliza murmur diplomatically and Lex stands with a nod. Alex comes stumbling off her horse and into her mother's arms the second Lex is out of the way. She can hear Lena sliding off her horse as Lex grabs the bags, always keen to carry their items instead of forcing his soldiers too, some would think courteous but Alex know it is his suspicion of men. Of those who attempt to poison them.

"I'll put these in the rooms." His fingers touch Alex's elbow before he is on his way, Lena following after him with gentle words and a soft bow to Eliza.  Alex clings to her mother and Eliza grips her just as hard, there's a tremble in her hands and a few silver hairs mixed into her blonde.

"I've missed you Alexandra." Eliza breaths out against her temple, words trembling.

"I'm so sorry." Alex buries her face into her mother's shoulder, tries to keep from crying even as her chest tightens. "I missed you too."

Eliza pulls back slowly, tired blue eyes searching over Alex's face. "You've grown." There's a wry but sad twist to her lips as she thumbs Alex's cheek.

"I've been gone more than a year." Alex attempts to joke, but it falls flat.

Eliza's eyes are somber yet soft, like just hearing Alex, seeing her, made everything hurt less. "Come, Kara and Winn will be happy to see you." She leads her daughter to the hallway, where Winn is bouncing, excited but just as somber as the rest of them. Alex opens her arms and he falls into them quickly, he has to bend to press his head into her shoulder like they did as kids, when he was shorter than her and no where near as broad shouldered. Something inside of her aches at missing Winn growing.

"I'm so happy to see you, I wish it was better circumstances. I wish Jeremiah could see you again." Winn winces against her shoulder, but he'd always been awkward. He pulls back slightly, his hands twitch and she grabs them quickly before he can flee in embarrassment. She squeezes gently until they still and he falls back into her shoulder, sighing against it. The vibrating of his body stilling in a way Alex had always managed to do since they were children, when Winn had too many emotions and they seemed to try and come out of his skin. She breathes in the smell of winter that clings to him, sharp as the wind and slightly lemony from the tarts he ate. He stumbles back soon after, lips twitching into a grin as he bounces on his toes. "Kara missed you too." He motions behind him.

With her heart in her throat and Winn and Eliza moving slowly to the sitting room Alex turns to look to the shadows where she last saw them. Kara's eyes are dark with grief and concern. Storm is pressed to her hip, both of them taller than when she'd left them. _"Kara."_

Kara races forward the second her name falls from Alex's lips, like her name was the permission she was waiting for. Plowing into Alex. Alex can't brace herself as well as she could against a Kara who was shorter so they stumble back, Alex's back pressing into the wall painfully but Alex clings to her just the same. Kara's taller than her now, stronger to by the feel of her arms. Alex falls into her the rest of the way, letting Kara take her weight like she was so good at, tears slipping from her eyes that she had tried so hard to keep at bay. They stand there, tangled together for what seems like forever before Alex pulls back, slowly. "Alex." Kara chokes out her name. Her fingers come up to brush Alex's long hair from her face, her left hand moves from her hair to cup Alex's cheek and her right refuses to leave Alex's body, pressing into her hip then her elbow up to her shoulder, constantly moving but never leaving her body.

"You got taller." Alex murmurs, quiet and thick as she brings a hand up to cradle the wrist to the hand holding her face, Kara's heart pounds quick and strong under her fingers like it had in the Godswood.

Kara chuckles and nods, eyes full of the same tears Alex's are. "Yeah." Her fingers haven't stopped running over Alex's back and shoulder. "I missed you." 

"I missed you too." They don't do anything other than stand there drinking in each others presence, they can't. Alex is betrothed to the King of the seven kingdom and Kara is a Riverland's bastard so they stand, weaved together like they had been the night Alex had told her she was leaving. They stand there and take in the similarities and the differences more than a year apart had done to them. Storm stands in the shadows, listening for anyone coming to disturb them and glaring at Alex, watching her like the dire wolf thought she'd destroy Kara.

* * *

* * *

 

They have dinner that night, a wake for the funeral tomorrow. Only family present tonight. The people will pay their respects when they have the funeral. They will crowd Eliza and Alex with words of comfort before they all would go to the crypt, where his statue would stand but no body would lay. The dinner is quiet and somber, Alex can't keep herself from drinking in her family. Lena is quiet, eyes darting around like she always does in new environments, Winn won't stop tapping his fork and Kara keeps darting Alex looks while Eliza moves her food around on her plate.

Lex eyes the wolf that lays between Alex and Kara before breaking the silence. "I've heard of dire wolves, never thought i'd see one."

Eliza smiles softly, fingers stroking Whisper's fur from her spot at the head of the table, Lex had taken the spot opposite of her. "They're the last of their kind past the wall, found years ago by Kara and Alex."

"They're gorgeous." Lex has always been curious and it shows in his eyes, Alex watches them flit over Storm and Whisper, taking in the differences and similarities of the wolves to the hounds they had at King's Landing. There's that familiar gleam in them, the one he had when he first read a new book. "Magic in their blood like the dragons once had."

Eliza looks up, tilting her head to the side as she finally eats her dinner. "You believe in dragons?" Lena is quiet, content to listen to everyone else speak in the new environment and Winn is nervous, sitting next to Lena and fiddling with his spoon. Kara keeps sneaking glances to Alex, fingers smoothing Storm's fur down every once in a while as Eliza and Lex speak.

"I've the skulls beneath my castle." There's something in his eyes, bright and dangerous but not like when he'd been in the dungeons. This is different. "The worst thing the crown ever did was hunt the dragons to extinction. Kill them all. Creatures who bore the magic of gods and our people slaughtered them." He eyes the way Whisper stays pressed into Eliza's side, the way Storm stays near Kara, watching the newcomers for any threat. "They're more emotional than regular wolves. Than the hunting dogs, more pack oriented."

Eliza tilts her head, eyes narrowing. "You've studied them?"

Lex offers her that smile that wooed every one when he was just a prince. "I've studied many things milady."

Kara nearly jerks in her seat so with a twitch to her lip Alex interrupts the conversation. "Lex and Lena have read everything in the library at least three times. You'd love it mother."

Lex laughs, all charm, the crazed look hasn't been in his eyes since they left King's Landing, only flashes here and there along the road that died quicker and quicker. "Lena's read everything three times, I've only gotten twice around before my duties began to interfere. Alex is on her way up there, nearly done." He grins at Eliza reaching to clasp at Alex's hand for a second, Alex squeezes back out of habit, used to the gesture from being in King's Landing. "You've raised her well, smart. I couldn't have asked for a better match." Kara won't look up from her plate, fingers tighten around the fork in her hand and Storm presses close to the blonde's knees. Lena eyes Kara with something of understanding, soft and sad and Alex nearly stiffens. Can barely keep her eyes from flickering to Kara in something of an apology, regret.

Eliza ignores the tension between the girls as she had always done. "They've books on dire wolves?"

"Book on everything milady. Anything you could think of." He's bright eyed again like Alex remembers him. Soft and alight with glee and knowledge. "The maesters begun working on a book, your husband helped with it. The passing of diseases, it helps the maesters keep illnesses from spreading, soon every maester will have one."

That grabs Eliza's attention more than anything could and she leans forward with narrowed eyes. "You intend to stop the spread of diseases?"

"I don't believe we'll ever stop it." He taps his fork against his plate like he does hie quill when writing. "But I intend to prevent the spreading as best I can."

Winn twitches in his seat, finally looking up to meet Lex's eyes. "Do you have books on architecture?"

Lex tilts his head. "Yes, castles to boats to carriages." Lex darts his eyes to Winn's hands, as calculating as he is on the throne. "You've the hands of a builder." He motions his chin towards his sister. "Lena does as well." Lena rolls her eyes and continues to eat the food on her plate. He eyes Kara next, surveying. "You have the hands of a painter, a sculptor." Kara narrow her eyes in suspicion and Lex grins. "There's paint under your nails, stone chippings clinging to dire wolf's fur."

Lena lets out a soft hum. "Father always did say you were too keen Lex."

"Father was never keen enough." Lex grumbles, there's that darkness creeping into his eyes, familiar of the dungeons and hour long rants. Both Alex and Lena stiffen, Kara furrows her brow, knowing Alex's body like her own. The fearful stiffening sets Kara's instincts on edge. Lex seemingly shakes himself, coming back away from the darkness of his thoughts and Alex and Lena relax, Kara eyes them curiously. "We will be staying for a week. I wish it were longer, that we could stay longer but it's a three week journey back and I can only leave the kingdom so long." He leans forward. "I would like to offer you King's Landing, stay as long as you like."

"There must always be a Stark in Winterfell, with my husband's death I am the last to stay here." Her eyes dart to Alex and they both know they must discuss the bloodline, Alex being the last trueborn Stark.

Lex's jaw tightens slowly before receding, almost as if nothing happened. "I understand. Give permission to your wards and they may come to King's Landing. I will be busy with the crown and I would feel more comfortable with Alex having family around."

Alex stiffens but hides it well from all but Kara. "I have Lena and you Lex, my mother only has Kara and Winn. I do not feel comfortable leaving her here alone." Lex hums but eyes Eliza, she smiles politely at him before asking after Lillian and how she's faring.

* * *

* * *

 

Later when Winn is showing Lena his workshop, Lex tagging along to see the boy Alex had told him about, Kara retreats to the shadows, staying away from Lex like she couldn't deal with him. Alex doesn't blame her and longs to go after her, but her mother pulls her to the study. There's more wrinkles on her face, silver strands hidden in her blonde hair and Alex aches with all that the little more than year had changed. "Your father is dead."

"I know." There's something haunted in her mother's grey-blue eyes, like they'd seen more than any human could comprehend. "Why are you bringing this up?"

"Because Alex, he is not here to fight me nor is his body here to take to the crypt. His wishes can be ignored." She nearly chokes on those words, Alex can see them catch in her throat as she forces them out. Knows that the Riverland have their thoughts of bodies and where they lay. That the dead can watch over their families only when they are laid to rest. "Kara and Winn will accompany you to King's Landing."

"What? Father never wanted Kara there." She thinks of Lex and her heart races in her chest. "Kara can't come to King's Landing."

"Your father had right to worry, but they will be safer with you in King's Landing than here with me." There's something in her mother's voice now that sets her on edge, something about the way her mother had watched Lex like she saw beyond his charm that clicked in Alex's head.

"Why?" Alex steps closer to her mother, lowering her voice and grabbing her mother's hand. "What's going on mother?"

"The gods have shown me many things, the night's watch wanted them. Your father had stayed with them during his trips and he wanted Kara to take the black, to protect her.  Those were his last wishes, but he is dead and Kara will be far safer at your side as will Winn with the things to come. They need you by their side, you are stronger together."

Alex's throat tightens and she can barely force out a single word. _"Mother?"_

Eliza presses a kiss to Alex's temple, lips trembling. "Know I love you."

Alex pulls her into another tight hug, fear eating away at her insides. "Why does this feel like goodbye?"

"There's a scroll Alex, I've written in the old language, burn it after you've read to." Eliza pulls back so that her eyes meet Alex's watery ones. "To read it you must move it above fire light. There is a stone case, it came with her when she first arrived. It will only open with the drop of her blood." Eliza cradles her daughter's face between her hands. "You'll know when to give it to her and when to read the letter. I love you my sweet child."

Alex shakes her head and it feels like she's ten again and waiting for her father to come home, scared he would never walk through the door again. "Mother?"

"This isn't goodbye." There's tears in Eliza's eyes now, threatening to fall but she holds her resolve like a true Lady of Winterfell. "I'll see you again, the gods see to that."

Alex shakes her head, nearly dislodging her mother's soft grip. "Father wouldn't forgive me if I left you alone."

"This was a long time coming and your father knew this." There's was warning in there, her grip tightening on Alex's face. "You will do as I say Alexandra. I love you."

"I love you too." Alex presses her face into her mother's shoulder, can't even comprehend what she would do if she lost her mother as well. "Keep Whisper with you?"

"He will stay by my side as is necessary." Eliza strokes her daughter's hair and there's a darkness in her eyes, like she can see atrocities of the world already. There is no fear there, only a determined resolve and so much love.

* * *

* * *

 

The ride to King's Landing is full of a wide eyed Winn. He's wound tighter than a bowstring the second they exit Winterfell gates. He'd never taken well to being outside of the castle, preferring to hide away for fear of his father coming for him. Storm trots beside Kara's horse, Grey. He's no longer straining against his reins like he used to years ago when he was Alex's. Kara's soothed his wild side and he follows her every command easily. It makes Alex ache as she watches them. She'd left them and everything had changed, for a short moment she hates her father for forcing her to miss them. To leave Winterfell. The hate falls away with guilt at the thought of her dead father. 

Lex's horse keeps side stepping when Storm gets to close to it.  Storm seems to keep close to Kara and Winn, always between them and Lex. Sometimes she trots beside Alex but stops when Alex's horse, one from Lex's stables, nearly bolts. Lex doesn't fret, just laughs and asks how big the wolf will get. Alex and Kara share a look, both remembering the sheer size of the mother dire wolf. She was young, old enough to birth pups but clearly not completely grown. "She'll be nearly the size of a horse." Alex says quietly.

Lex nods, eyes wide with wonder like they always were when he found something new and fascinating. "They say the Stark ancestors used to ride them into battle, that the wolves fought along side them." He clicks his tongue, letting his horse trot to Alex. "We shall find some pups when we have children." There's that cautious fear in his eyes he always gets when children are mentioned. "Every prince and princess needs a loyal guard." He longingly eyes Storm. "A dire wolf would be perfect for the Stark blood that flows through their veins."

Kara's face twists in anguish, Storm falls in line beside her, bumping into Kara's leg. Grey does not jerk away like most horses would, he leans into the soothing nudge. Jerking his head to nip at the fur around Storm's shoulder. The dire wolf grumbles but stick close to them. Lena watches the emotions flash across Kara's face with sympathetic curious eyes. Winn stays between Kara and Lena, shoulders hunched, refusing to look at either of the girls he grew up with in Winterfell. Alex laughs at Lex and fights the urge to look back at Kara, fights to hide the fear and longing in her own eyes as she thinks of children, not with Lex, but with someone else. The person her heart truly belongs to. "Will we get a stag as well, let them have the sigil of both houses?"

Lex snorts, shaking his head. "Stags are not good companions."

Alex lifts an eyebrow, still fighting the urge to look back at Kara. "Is that a hint for me to rethink my betrothal to you?" And she joking with him like she hasn't since the dungeons, it feels like it used to. 

Lex's eyes flash in delight, like he too had missed their friendly banter. Lena makes a guffawing noise as well, barely able to hide it. Some of the guards laugh as well, and it is free like none of them had been in King's Landing, like the dungeons had never happened. "I think mother would send me to the wall for chasing you away my dear."

Alex lets out a soft amused sound, remembering a conversation with the former queen. How she and Lex were the same. How they felt the same about marriage. Something inside her aches for those first few months in King's Landing when everything wasn't as hard as it is now. She still doesn't look back at Kara, can't catch the anguish in blue eyes, not when she's put it there.

* * *

* * *

 

Lillian greets them at the steps to the castle, there relief when she sees Lex, Alex and Lena. Then suspicion when she spots Winn and Kara. Alex catches the tightening of fear when she sees Storm, her mask is nearly impervious but Alex had learned every twitch of Lex's face, she can recognize some of them in Lillian.  Lillian steps slowly down the stone stairs, watches the horses be lead away. "Lex." Her voice is cautious yet happy and her son grins at her, it's nearly as free as it once was and Alex watches as joy flashes through Lillian's eyes, like she too had missed who her son once was. "How was your trip?"

He hugs her fiercely, like he thought she would have died while he was gone. "Cold, but good. The north is beautiful."

Lillian hums low and soft, darting her eyes to Lena and Alex, seemingly searching them for injuries like she had Lex. Once satisfied she looks to Kara and Winn. "You've brought guests."

Lex nods, pressing a kiss to his mother's cheek. Lillian shivers in the cold, Lex would as well but he'd been in the north long enough to not feel too cold with the warmer southern air. "Come, lets get inside. I know you freeze like I do." His fingers are gentle on her elbow as he leads his mother inside. Alex falls into step beside Kara, Winn has his fingers tangled into the fur at Storm's shoulder and Kara reaches for his hand, soothing him from his fear. 

Lena stays near Alex's side, eyeing King's Landing with dread, much like Alex she had like the reprieve from the pit of poison. Her fingers brush against Alex's and Alex bumps shoulders with her to sooth Lena like the girl had once for Alex. Lex is going on in front of them, telling Lillian of Winterfell and why Kara and Winn came with them. Lillian keeps eyeing Kara cautiously, her eyes flickering to Alex like she could see the history between them.

* * *

* * *

* * *

 

Alex turns eighteen when the frost is heavy in King's Landing and the air is almost as sharp as Winterfell. There's a feast, Lex's eyes are wide when they catch hers in the middle of dining, wine in their hands and food heavy in their stomach and they both know that in a few short months they must wed. Lex doesn't look nearly as scared as he used to, but there's still an edge of panic to him. Lillian stares at them with something like remorse and Kara, sweet Kara, looks like she's heading to the executioner's block as each day passes. Kara's grinning tonight though, wine heavy in her hand and Storm pressed to her side.

Winn's dancing with Lena, laughing without a care in the world and spinning round the room. Eventually they manage to pull Kara into their dancing and Storm leaps around them, people stepping back each time the large dire wolf gets near them. Lex laughs as a noble spills wine scrambling to get away and he stands, holding a hand out to her. "Shall we join the madness?" There's mischief in his eyes.

She can feel the gaze of those around them so she takes Lex's hand with a smile and lets him pull her to the dance floor. He spins her quietly, eyes bright with amusement. He exchanges a look with Lena and before Alex knows it she's dancing with Lena and Kara while Winn is wide eyed as Lex spins him. Soon Alex is dancing with just Kara while Winn is spun between the Baratheon siblings. Winn's laughing like Alex had never heard him laugh before and Kara's eyes are finally soft, no longer full of pain. Lex manages to spin Winn into his mother, who had just escaped from one of the council members arms, Lillian rolls her eyes but takes Winn's hand. Lex grins widely at his mother and he doesn't look like a king in this moment, he doesn't look like the man in the dungeons. He looks like Lex, the prince who had as many fears as Alex did. Lena takes Lex's hand and begins a fast paced dance that Lex struggles to kept up with. Lillian does the same with Winn, despite Winn's confused rambling and Alex flashes Kara a challenging grin before falling into the steps Lena had drilled into her. Kara's pressed closer than she's had her in a long time and their hearts thunder in their chests and something eases between them.

The people of King's Landing watch them, the nobles with caution while the lower houses join into the fun. There will be whispers tomorrow but for now they are in a moment of happiness. Storm leaps and bounds around Kara and Alex, eyes bright and tongue hanging out. Once in a while she'll bounce over to Winn knocking into his knees with a youthful glee. Lillian will stare at the dire wolf like it was magical and a monster all in one. Cautious yet full of wonder. 

* * *

 

Lillian sits in one of the many studies with Alex across from her. They're going over seating charts of the fast approaching wedding, the older woman speaks up softly, breaking the silence. "Lex had a companion as a child." Her voice is soft, there's guilt there as well as anger. Alex tenses, remembers the conversation about betrayal with her. Lillian always had a point to her silence breaking conversations. "He and the boy were close. He taught Lex how to ride, even took him bareback riding one evening." Lillian continues to write names down without looking up. "Lex was happier when he was with the stable boy. He spoke of running away to be a knight with the boy as his squire and companion. There were rumors that floated around a long while." Alex has quit working, Lillian always managed to knock her loose and make the world spin around her. "Lionel didn't take well to the rumors, a prince was to become king and  _produce_ heirs." Lilian's voice is scathing like she'd never heard it before.

Alex trembles and can't bite her tongue any longer, there's something bubbling in her git that tells her how this ends. "What happened to the stable boy?"

Lillian finally looks up at Alex. "Lionel told Lex that he had run away with the baker's daughter. Lex didn't believe him at first, but eventually he saw reason and he forgot about the stable boy. He learned to keep his preferences close to chest and his heart under lock. Lionel swore to me that was all that had happened, that the boy had just run away, but I saw the blood staining his sleeves." Lillian hasn't dropped her gaze. "Outside of nobles love like that is fine, marriage can happen. But for those who need a blood line to continue, heirs must be produced and a king has no right to a lover that can't make heirs for the throne." There some dark seated anger there and Alex trembles, doesn't know if this is a threat or a warning. There's something familiar in Lillian's gaze though, the same look she had seen in Lex's some mornings. The same look she had in her own eyes before she learned to hide it. "Nobles must be careful with whom holds their heart Alexandra, for a noble's heart isn't as secretive as they hope." She goes back to work and Alex sits there, heart racing in her chest and gut churning.

* * *

* * *

 

Alex and Kara sit in the library sometimes. On a couch and as close as they dare to be in King's Landing, close enough to touch but never touching. Lena and Winn sit with them sometimes and Alex lets their presence sooth the worry that eats away at her. Some nights she dreams of Lionel standing above Kara, blood splatter on his face and a bloodied knife in his hand. Lex is crumpled on the floor behind him, looking far younger than Alex had ever seen him. A boy his age cradled in his arms. On those nights when she jerks awake she walks the castle halls, eyes bloodshot and limbs trembling. She fights to control her emotions and some nights she passes by Lillian. The woman sits in a chair, staring out to the west with something like longing in her eyes. Her grey eyes will find Alex's and her hair looks nearly white when the moon shines on it. They watch each other silently and Alex always feels like Lillian is looking into her very mind. 

The nights she runs into Lillian she heads back up to her room, curls up in her bed and stare out her window at the moon like it will answer her questions and abide her fear. Sometimes she wonders what is out west that Lillian looks so longingly at. Sometimes she wishes Lillian wasn't so very good at unnerving her.

As the weeks pass Winter grows colder and Alex fears for the day that spring will come and they will marry. She sends constant ravens to her mother, inquiring about Winterfell and her health. J'onn sometimes ravens her to tell her when he goes to visit her mother and she thinks of the letter in her room, hidden with the stone box her mother had given her. She's yet to open the letter and waits for the sign her mother told her she would recognize. 

Some days Kara and Alex rest out in the gardens, the air chilly but not like Winterfell. They sit in the sun with Storm like they haven't since they were young and didn't have a worry in the world. They never touch one another, can't because Alex is to wed the King and Kara is the bastard ward to Alex's house. When the castle gets too much Alex will cautiously take Kara to the orphanage in Flea Bottom that Lena had taken her to once upon a time. 

The children eye Storm cautiously, the dire wolf taller than most of them before a girl, no older than five, stumbles her way through the others and stares at Storm. The girl moves forward and holds her hand out, letting the dire wolf sniff it before she launches herself at the Storm's chest. Alex snorts at the wide eyed dire wolf and Kara bends down to stroke Storm's dark fur and speak softly to the child cuddling the dire wolf. Most of the kids stare at Kara in wide eyed awe, they gotten used to Alex and Lena, but they'd heard stories about Kara. The bastard friend of the soon to be queen. Most of them were bastards themselves, some even having the same name are Kara. Alex kneels down and pulls the full bag from behind her back, the kids crowd around her like they always do and they pass out the thick gloves she'd had made for them to the younger ones first. Alex aches inside at the thoughtfulness and caring nature of the children. Once they all have their gloves she slowly sits down, weary of the cracking in her knee and passes out the sweet cakes she had brought. 

Lena would be by later today for the children's lesson so Alex pulls out a story book she remembered her mom reading to her as a child. The Septa dips her chin at Alex before leaving them be, trusting the soon to be queen with the orphans and bastards of King's Landing. There's bony knees pressing into her and kids rubbing their snotty hands over her when they touch her. She doesn't care because they are grinning, cheeks flushed as they listen to her. Kara watches her wide eyed and loving in a way that makes Alex flush and struggle to keep her voice even. Storm rolls onto her back and lets the children pull at her ears and rub at her thick fur, some of them sprawl on the dire wolf and Kara's steady hand rubbing on the dire wolf's chest keeps her still and calm.

People whisper about them like they used to in Winterfell, eyes sharp on the distance between them and the smiles they exchange. Alex puts more distance between them each day, lets Storm walk between them sometimes to try and kill the whispers. Sometimes Lex walks with them, his arm is always linked through Alex's. He always gives a soft smile to Kara and says. "The people like to see us as a united front. Soothes their worries." Kara always buries her hand into Storm's fur when Lex's touches Alex and Alex can't stop the burning in her chest each time.

Lena and Winn take apart pieces and pieces of the castle and weapons, sometimes Alex joins them, lets the work soothe her worries. Kara sketches pieces of Kings Landing, sometimes she moves through the castle like she knows it, a furrow to her brow Storm at her side. The dire wolf sometimes goes to Alex's side, presses into it like she used to, but she always goes back to Kara, blood matters not when Alex left the wolf and the girl alone. Alex left the pack and Storm has yet to forgive her. The wolf does not like Lex, growls when he comes to Alex, blood in his nails and eyes red. Alex will send Storm to Kara, the wolf near baring her teeth at the man. Alex will wipe blood from his face with trembling hands, Lillian watching from the shadows with a worried furrow to her brow. She'll go to the dungeons and clean up after her son, she'll threaten Samuel but the man will threaten her right back, muscles bunched like he would follow through with them.

Lena still looks lost in the castle sometimes when she's not with Lex or Alex. She'll walk by Lillian and freeze like she thought the woman might throw her out. Lillian eyes her with a broken resolve and will turn away from the daughter of her dead husband. The more time Alex spends with Lex, washing the blood away and trying to get the killing to stop the more time Kara spends with Lena. There's a camaraderie there, both bastards and cautiously fearful of King's Landing they become close. Winn usually is with them, hands tangled in Storm's fur when they walk by the murals of the last war, when he sees krakens on the walls and nearly loses his lunch. They continue to send ravens to Eliza, J'onn sends some from the wall. Worried and scared like they'd never heard him before. Eliza always soothes the worries even a three weeks ride away. 

Alex doesn't open the letter nor give the box to Kara, her mom said she would  _know_ and nothing has given her the indication to give them to Kara, at least not yet so she plans her wedding and grows weary as each day passes.

* * *

* * *

 

One of the servants sends for Alex, one of those loyal to just Alex. The girl reports quickly that Lex had been pacing and ranting, alone in his room and seemingly arguing with himself. Alex pays the girl for her silence and makes way to the room. She pushes the door to his study open gently and finds him pacing like a mad man. She shuts and locks the door behind her, leans against it to gather herself as Lex continues to mutter to himself. She can't make out what he is saying. "Lex, whats wrong?"

Jerking to a stop his body continues to tremble and there's something wild in his eye. Achingly familiar to the night she had found him in the dungeons and he had seemed scared yet determined. There's little fear now, barely there but the madness is worse than the night in the dungeons. "Flea bottom, the damned Targaryens." His words are harsh, barely even a cognitive sentence. Nearly as crazed as his eyes. His crown lays in a heap on the floor, some of his hair tangle within the branches of gold like he'd yanked it off his head. "I had to."

Some warning in the back of her head is going off, telling her to flee. To get out of the room and run. She ignores it, stepping closer to Lex. She was to marry him and she was learning how to predict his moods. "What are you talking about Lex?"

"Flea Bottom houses all the bastards of the nobles." And he spits out the word bastard like he never had before, he spits it out like the same people he had flogged months ago. The ones that had called Lena a bastard in the same hateful tone he uses now.  

Alex stills her movement, eyeing him cautiously, this was a Lex she hadn't dealt with before. One who cursed bastards. "Lex, what did you do?"

"I can't risk that Targaryen, the damned _Kalel."_ He spits out the man's name like it burned everything inside of him. Bloodshot eyes staring into hers like he could embed the information into her very own head. "To have more blood. If he finds them he could rule; marry them and spread his poisonous Targaryen blood!"

She steps closer, doesn't touch him, doesn't startle him but offers her calm presence, barely able to keep her voice steady. She'd gotten to good at this and she hates herself just a bit. "Lex, there's no Targaryens down there."

"There is!" He steps close, wild and crazed, she nearly jerks back. Lex had a good head on her and at least thirty or more stones in weight. He was not small by any means and for the first time in their betrothal besides the night in the dungeon she fears for her own life. "They've got the damned black hair like him!"

"Three fourths of fucking Kings Landing has dark hair!" Her voice is harsh and he stumbles back slowly, staring at her like she's the one who lost her head. She can't not curse at him though, even with fear coursing through her veins she's always been combative and he's cursing his people like he hates them. "The Targaryen king didn't have black hair Lex and he was Targaryen through and through."

"They've the eyes to go with it." His grey eyes are haunted and all Alex can remember is a pile of heads in the dungeon, blue eyes staring back at her. "They're Targaryen bastards and bastards have a right to blood. Especially if they are the few remaining. But Kalel will be the last, the very last and i'll kill him before he can create more little beasts to threaten my family. My kingdom."

Alex steps closer again, searching his face, there's this heaviness in her stomach that feels like terror. "What did you do Lex?" His lips twitch and as the sun reaches its highest peak in the sky there is a deafening boom that rattles even the steady castle. Dust spills all over the room and Lex's lets out this keening sound that could be a laugh or a cry as he looks to the window. Alex races to the window, knees wobbling and heart in her throat. It drops to her stomach when she watches Flea Bottom burn. There's green flames finishing off the houses and establishments down there. Bloodcurdling screams of pain and terror bounce around the air.

Flea Bottom is barely even standing now, green smoke smoldering from it as the flames do their job. Steady heat at her back and side lets Alex know Lex has come to stand beside her. He's staring out the window, the green smoke creating an eery glow in his face. "No more bastards of Flea Bottom." The calmness of his tone threatens to make Alex puke and she thinks to little hands pressed into her knees and something in her chest cracks and she hates Lex now more than ever.

* * *

* * *

 

Alex paces outside the council room, the meeting having gone on for nearly two hours when Kara comes storming towards her. There's soot on her face from where she and Winn had raced to Flea Bottom to help. Storm is at her side, smelling of the soot and death as well. Alex's stomach drops and she can't let Kara argue about this here. Not where a council member with prying ears will take it to Lex. She stalks towards Kara, forgoing staying until the meeting is over to speak to Lex. She walks right past Kara, simply brushing her fingertips to Kara's clenched fist before making her way through hallways. _"Alex!"_ Kara hisses out and she is steaming behind her, angry and hotblooded but she follows after Alex when the girl doesn't answer. Storm stalks beside her, chest rumbling in a growl. They make it to Alex's study, and Kara slams the door shut, her entire body trembling. "He killed innocents Alex!"

Alex swallows thickly, staring at Kara's soot covered face, Storm continues to pace the room as the two people stay still. "I know Kara." She thinks of the building that held the orphanage, the way the children pressed into her side and the love in their eyes when she read to them. She stares at Kara and all she can see is the way the children had hung off of Kara's tall frame. There's blood staining Kara's shirt now, too dry to be fresh or from the blonde. Alex's insides churn and she chokes out. "I know."

Kara face is twisted like she'd never seen it before, so full of hatred and rage and anguish. She's flushed with it, blue eyes blazing and muscles, stronger than Alex had ever expected them to be, taut with her almost inhuman rage. "How can you _marry_ him?" She spits it out like a curse, like an accusation.

"You think I want to?" Alex's voice cracks and Kara darts her eyes away guiltily but Alex presses on, angry and so very saddened by the loss today. "I've never wanted to, you know this. All I wanted was to stay in Winterfell, to stay home." The 'with you' is quiet, not mentioned but they both ache at the could be and the loss of what can now never be. "But I was _forced_ into this and he was nice at first, he was like me." Alex chokes on this, hopes and prays that they aren't so very similar. That she isn't like him in every aspect. "He didn't want to be married either and then his father died, he changed." Somewhere along the line he changed enough to kill children.

Kara scoffs, that rage that had always been so hot in her coming forward. "I lost my family, you don't see me going crazy! We need to leave Alex."

"I can't, if I break this proposal Winterfell will have to go to war against King's Landing, Winterfell will fall. I can't leave." She know how that will go, Lex sees her as his saving grace, everything he is and isn't. Losing her would crack him in a way losing his father hadn't. He would come after her like a hound on a trail, leaving fire and blood in his wake like he did to Flea Bottom. He would tear Winterfell to the ground so she wouldn't want to go there again. So she'd have nothing but him. Just the thought of it makes her tremble in terror. "But I can send you and Winn back home."

Kara darts forward quickly, hands fluttering as if to touch Alex but she hesitates to touch her like she hadn't since they were kids. "I'm not leaving without you, I'm not leaving you here with him." Kara's face is twisted in rage at Alex even suggesting that, so much deeper than before. Burning hot like an open flame, wild and willing to consume everything with it.

"He doesn't hurt me Kara, but." Alex hesitates, tries to figure out the words to get Kara to turn tail and go home.

"What?" Kara searches her face and finds everything Alex had hoped to hide. Kara had always been too good at reading her just as she is with the blonde. "He might hurt me?"

Alex bites her lips but nods her head. "He's deranged Kar, he hates anyone with blue eyes." She steps forward slowly, hands shaking as she reaches to wipe soot from Kara's face, Storm watches the warily, like she thought their rage would bleed into each other. Kara leans into Alex's hand like she's starved for her touch. "I need to get you out of here, send you and Winn away." Tears that Alex had held at bay since she'd watched Flea Bottom burn fall down her face.

* * *

 She corners Lex after the council meeting, where he surely raged at those who wouldn't listen to him and where Samuel Tyrell whispered plans and possible betrayals in his ears. He looks up at her curiously, eyes slightly bloodshot. "Dear?" His voice is soft and he'd been calling her this lately.

She fights to keep from shuddering, any love, even non-sexual, felt wrong from Lex. Felt like she was doing something wrong and bugs were crawling over her skin. "I'd like to send Kara and Winn back to my mother, she must be very lonely." Her voice is even, nearly diplomatic and she prays Lex with do as she asks.

There a beat of silence as he stares at her and then he speaks placatingly, the way Lillian does to some of the soldiers that have ventured to the dungeons, words too slick with sweetness. It makes Alex bristle. "They can stay here, the roads aren't safe to travel." He reaches for her hand, eyes solemn. "People rebel against the crown."

She barely keeps from biting out about that being because of him, manages her anger to grip his hand and push gently with her words. "Lex I don't like the idea of my mother alone, they'll be fine."

He lets go of her hands and stands, towering over her. "No, they stay here. "

He jaw ticks and she fights the urge to scream at him. "Lex-"

"There is rioting and raiding." He steps closer to her, his dark hair curling into his eyes. "I will take care of it but I couldn't live with myself if something happened to Winn or Kara, to your last remaining family." There's something in the way he speaks and a glint in his eyes that sets her on edge and forces her to drop the topic, she'd have to get Kara and Winn out another way, despite her mother's wishes.

* * *

* * *

* * *

Two days later a servant rushes to Alex with a parcel, it's sealed with one of the family sigil's of the North. Alex opens it slowly and reads quickly, with each word her worlds turns on it's axis and when she gets to the end she races through the castle. Surprisingly Storm does not come running like she had when Alex had last run through the castle. There are no guards to give her wry looks of confusion and amusement and something eats away at her as she moves through the castle. Lex is not in a council meeting and he is not in the library. With each failed room her panic grows until she finds him in his bedroom. Her hands are shaking and her eyes wide enough to see the whites of them.

Lex looks up curiously, eyes flickering to the letter in her hand before he meets her gaze. "Alex?"

Her chest feels too tight and it's like she's watching Flea Bottom burn again. "Winterfell is under attack, my mother, we ne-"

"I know." He's calm now, staring at her like she was crazy for getting this worked up.

She stops trembling and stares at Lex cautiously. "You know?"

Pushing his papers in a pile he looks more calm than he'd ever been, as if everything wasn't falling apart. "The Boltons and the Greyjoys are sacking the North, taking Winterfell for their own."

She furrows her brow, can't help but think her mother knew of the impending attack. That Lex might have as well. "How do y- Why?" 

"I think you know why they took Winterfell, no male heir Stark." He stands to slowly walk towards her, taking the letter from her hand and setting it on his desk. He plays with the betrothal ring on her finger despite her tense muscles. She aches to see inside his head and understand what the hell he knows. "Maxwell would have taken Winterfell either way, through your marriage to him or by force. Since he couldn't have it through you he used force."

"Why aren't you sending men?" She squeezes his hand, nearly resorting to begging on her knees if it will get him to listen to her. "Let me go to Winterfell Lex. I need to make sure my mother's alright."

His eyes are sharp and dangerous, worse than the moment in the dungeons as his hand tightens on hers. The ring digs into her finger and she furrows her brow in confusion and pain. "Why would I send men to save Targaryen supporters?"

She blinks in shock at him, nearly jerking back. _"What?"_

"The Starks hid a Targaryen child from the crown, they committed treason." He steps closer and his hand tightens painfully so on hers, nearly bruising. _"You_ committed treason."

She tries to pull out of his hold and her blood thrums in her veins, Lex had never directed that deranged angry look at her before and fear ices through her veins. "What are you _talking_ about?"

"Kara isn't Kara Rivers is she?" That wild looks burns bright in his eyes and his nails threaten to draw blood as he tightens his fingers like a vice. "She's Karael Targaryen, daughter to the mad king and cousin to Kalel. The _bastard_ who is raising an army to kill my family. To take _my_ throne."

"Have you gone mad?!" Alex finally tears her hand from his and his nails leave gouges on her palm, hot and burning as they begin to bleed. Lex doesn't seem to notice. "Kara's a River through and through, she's got the Riverland eyes and hair." she glares at him, near hitting his chest to try and knock sense into him. Praying that Kara is alright, that Storm and Winn had protected her. "Seven hells she could pass for a cousin to my mother!"

His nostrils flare and she tilts her chin up at him despite the fear that his fist will come at her. "She has Targaryen eyes and the hair of the mad king!" His curly hair crowds around his eyes and makes him look even more wild.

Alex scoffs, she'd seen the pictures when Lex had shown her dragon skulls and wove stories of dragons, the creatures not the royal line of Targaryens, like he was born for story telling. "He had brown hair, she's blonde!" She doesn't mention the light brown hair, very similar to the Targaryen King, that Kara had when she was young. She won't believe Lex's madness. Won't feed into it.

"He had her light hair in his youth." His breathing is erratic, like Alex should know all of this already. "It darkened as he aged. Just as hers may."

"You've gone mad Lex!" She shoves at the hands that reach for her, glaring spitefully at him, itching for a sword to protect herself. Aching to have Kara in her sights. "Seeing dragons blood in every blue eyes."

"You truly don't know?" He eyes her softly before stroking her face reverently, she nearly jerks away from him but can tell he is calming and a calm Lex is easier to predict than a crazed one. He laughs, slightly crazed and she stiffens ever so slightly. "They never told you, but I'll show you." He grabs her arm, harsher than he'd ever been before today. He drags her to the lower levels, where the dragon skulls lay and pulls out a book that'd clearly been burned and ripped. There's stones broken all over the room as if someone had taken to the room in a fit of rage. "I found this hidden down here. I believe someone had been burning it before being interrupted years ago when my father took the castle. There's record of a birth to a girl, she would have been five when she supposedly died. There was no body found and they never found the body of the queen's sister. I know this Alex, I've researched this for years and it's the truth! They tried to hide it but there was a princess of the mad king and she'll help Kalel take the throne and kill my family."

Alex nearly scoffs but Lex is calmer now, it's better to play into it than rile him up again. She shakes her head, gently reaching to brush his wild curls from his face. Trying to keep her hand from shaking. "The king didn't have a daughter Lex."

"He kept her hidden, but he couldn't hide her from me." He laughs again, that mad ring to it, as he grabs at her arm again like he didn't even hear her. "No, i'm too smart, so much smarter than him." His grip is still bruising. "If you don't believe me, believe this." He shakes the book. "Then i'll show you." He pulls her along the corridors, nails digging into her skin again, this time in excitement instead of his rage. She doesn't know which she prefers.

He pulls her down the familiar path to the dungeons, it reeks of blood, burnt skin and excrement. Alex barely keeps from gagging. They walk past cells full of blue eyes men and women, rails thin and most likely dead. Evidence of torture in their beaten and torn bodies. The last two cells have movement in them and bleary blue eyes open to look at them. "Alex?" Kara's hands are chained to the wall and there's blood on her lip and a bruise on her temple.

Alex jerks out of Lex's hold, rushing to the cell and trying to yank it open. "Kara?! Lex, what in the seven hells are you doing?" She nearly clocks him upside the head with the pole beside her but there are five guards at the door watching them.

"She's Targaryen, she's never been burnt." Lex steps closer, slowly, staring at Alex like she's everything all over again. There's a fire burning in the far corner of the room that makes Alex's gut churn. "Think Alex, you know this. In the years you've know her, fire has never hurt her."

Alex stares at Kara, thinking through the entirety she had known her, her father's weariness. It doesn't matter, none of that _matters_ and she spins to face Lex. Trying to soothe his madness and free Kara at the same time. "She's a bastard of the Riverland's Lex, she's no blood of king."

Lex turns to snarl at her, shaking in his rage. "Mad King! She has _mad king_ blood not king's blood!" 

Alex stumbles back at the crazed rage and she stares at him, shaking in fear and rage. "What are you going to do?"

"I wanted to kill her, to rid the world of her dragons blood, but I realized I could use her." He searches her face like he's waiting for Alex's praise at keeping from spilling Kara's blood. "She's the blood of the heir. Of Kalel. They call him the Man of Steel, but steel will break eventually."

A little bit of hope blooms in Alex's chest, if Lex wasn't going to kill Kara then Alex could find a way to save her. "You're going to use her?"

"She's bait." Lex crowds her space, tall and wild. "I hope you understand my lady wife." He backs away slowly and looks at Alex like she can understand every mad thought in his head. "I'll leave you here to figure the truth for yourself, the guards will be watching. I do hope you are smart enough not to attempt to escape."

He leaves and Alex looks at Kara's bruised face and then to Storm, bloodied and limp in the cell next to Kara. Surely she fought to save Kara while Alex was arguing with Lex. Guilt eats at her and she meets Kara's weak confused gaze and whispers quietly. "I'll get you out Kara, I promise." 

* * *

* * *

"They thought the Greyjoy boy was still in Winterfell, he is the heir to the Iron Islands." The dinner in the dinning room was quiet until he spoke. Lena has her face buried in a book, hands clenching and un-clenching on the bindings of it. Winn is hidden away in his room. Distraught and unable to face Lex or Alex. Lillian watches her son cautiously as he speaks like Alex is the only one in the room. "They thought they'd get him back, but now I have him. They could fight and take Winterfell, but they can't fight King's Landing. They can't take King's Landing from us."

"You planned this, you knew." She barely keeps her voice from shaking, barely can keep the glare off her face. She darts her eyes around the table but Lena won't look up, Lillian just stares at her like Alex should've expected this.

Lex smiles softly. "Secrets are never quite secrets. I am the king, I need to know my kingdom." He moves to stroke her face and she jerks back, he nearly frowns, eyes losing a spark. "I tried to get your mother to come here, so she could live. But she was stubborn and she died. I hope you aren't as stubborn as she is, that you are smarter." He reaches for her again and finally touches her face when she doesn't jerk back. She takes his warning to heart as he grips her chin and stares at her like she's the answer to everything. She aches to jerk from his hold but knows he won't take his anger out on her but the things she holds close to her heart. "We'll take Winterfell back, eventually, when the Targaryens are dead and our children are grown. They'll be Stark and Baratheon, heirs to Winterfell and the Iron Throne." His fingers stroke her face gently like she is everything to him. "They'll rule the world and nothing will stand in their way."

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

 

The secret passageways are dark, unknown by the king but familiar to the woman in the cloak that travels quickly through them, ducking through corners and doorways as if she had every single on memorized. Her heart beats heavy in her chest as she makes her way to where she was to meet the other person. Standing in the shadows is a slight woman, blonde hair coiled tightly against her head and hidden under a dark cloak. "Catherine Arryn." The shadow speaks slowly.

The slight woman looks up, un-surprised, as she continues to lean against the dirty wall of the hidden pathways. "Lena Baratheon, bastard daughter to King Lionel."

Lena purses her lips, fisting her hands under her cloak as if that could stop them from shaking. "You know why I asked you here?"

Cat Arryn purses her lips, staring at Lena like she was stupid. "To gain my support of the crown, the king feels we will support the Targaryens to come and not the usurper's child, him, so he sent you." She arches her eyebrow, daring Lena to dispute her sharp words.

"No." Cat looks up sharply at Lena's answer and Lena presses on despite the way her chest constricts. "I know you have your fingers in just about everyone's pockets, Lex has gone mad." Her hands tremble and she licks her lips, trying to steel her resolve. "I love him, but I fear for our kingdom, our nations, under his rule. He wants to burn Dragonstone to the ground. He will kill any with the blue eyes he believes could pass as Targaryen." She think of Kara, cold and wet in the dungeon. The pile of heads she had seen when she'd followed her brother to the dungeons. She thinks of a burning orphanage. "He's already burnt Flea Bottom down with Wildfire. I know you've heard of this."

Cat purses her lips, everyone had heard about Flea Bottom, the dissidence among those in King's Landing at the death of thousands. The dissidence that grew with the fall of Winterfell. The King's men not marching down to save his betrothed's homeland had made the people question their king. "Why did he burn Flea bottom?" Cat's green eyes are sharp as they bore into Lena's.

Lena shudders. "Every king has bastards, he feared Targaryen bastards thrived in Flea Bottom." The way she'd heard him ranting to Alex had put her on edge. She'd never heard him speak like that before and she'd never thought him capable of killing thousands, let alone children.

Cat leans closer, staring at Lena like she could read every thought of hers. "And Kara Rivers?"

"How do yo-" Lena purses her lips but scoffs out. "The _Spider."_

"I have my sources, what of her?" Cat presses as if it is of great importance.

"She is unharmed but caged." Lena crosses her arms, having hated the way Lex had fallen. "Lex wants her alive to act as bait for when Kalel comes."

"The Targaryen boy. Her cousin?" Cat's eyebrows are high on her forehead. "The one who everyone believed dead until a year ago?"

"Rumors say he's across the seas, raising an army. They think he has Dorne already, the vipers." Everyone knew the Martells were close to the Targaryens, they'd married into them after all. The worst thing Lionel had ever done was left Dorne alone, he hadn't went after Dorne in fear of a war he would actually lose. 

"And the king is scared, i'm betting it's why he hasn't killed the girl yet as well. Leverage.." Cat scoffs out as she crosses her arms. "I'll take care of it, but you will be the first suspect, after his betrothed." The rumors surrounding the future queen and her closeness to the blonde had spread, every council man would list her as a suspect.

"I know." Lena murmurs. "I'll figure something out."

Cat stares at her for a few moments before stepping back. "Talk to the spider, they can get you all out."

"You're risking your life, why?" Lena stares at her, full of suspicion and a weary hope.

"I have my own motivations Lena Baratheon, as do you." Cat eyes her just as cautiously. "Do not contact me again, I will not risk my son's life. This is the end of our discussions, choose wisely when the time comes." She steps back and vanishes into the shadows as if she was never there at all. Lena presses her forehead to the chilled wall and shudders at what she has set into motion.

* * *

* * *

 

Two weeks pass of Lena carefully hiding her plans and praying that Alex will do as she asks when the time is right. She hopes that Kara can actually leave the dungeons, unknown if two months in them had rendered the girl unable to walk. She hadn't seen Alex in nearly a month, the girl having been under constant guard since Lex had imprisoned Kara. There's a blue powder smeared on the outside Lena's door and Lena knows what that means, so she goes about her day, making sure her servants are where she wants them. That Lex's are mostly gone. The preparations for the jousting tournament are today, a celebration for the coming wedding. A month away.

Lena dresses and drinks and eats at the celebration to seem as if nothing is a foot. Alex is not there, claiming a sickness. Lex had been soft eyed like he didn't have her surrounded by guards constantly but he left her to sit in her room like she always did and the people, the nobles, of King's Landing are cautious but celebrating fully despite the future queen missing. Lex remarks quietly to Lillian, they speak for a few more minutes and the celebrations are half over when Lex takes a drink of his wine for the first time that night. He's speaking to his mother again and Lena is pushing her food around her plate when he jerks to his feet suddenly, hands grasping at his throat. Lillian is at his side in an instant as are the guards. Blood drips from his nose in a slowly splash and then he begins to vomit, falling to his knees. The crowd screams and then Lex's starts to convulse, falling from his knees to hit the ground. Lillian catches him and barely manages to ease him down, calling his name desperately.

Lillian has tears in her eyes as Lex chokes on his own vomit, red faced and slobbering, he clutches at his throat desperately. Lena steps away slowly, hand over her mouth, guilt threatening to swallow her whole and Lillian looks up at the sudden movement and meets her gaze before dropping back down to her son. There was a warning in those familiar grey eyes so Lena takes off running, down to the dungeons where Lex's loyal guards had run to the commotion, wishing to save their king. She opens the door to Kara cells quickly, unhooking her from her chains before opening the gate to Storm's cage. The dire wolf growls at her before pressing into Kara's side, attempting to help the girl stand up despite being nearly as weak as Kara. Lena moves to help them, praying her servants have gotten Alex and Winn out of the castle by now. Footstep sound on the stairs and Lena searches for a weapon when Alex bursts in, thinner than when Lena last saw her a month ago, Winn stumbling behind her. There's a bloodied sword in her hand that she points at Lena with a snarl on her face and heaving chest. Lena holds her hands up, itching to take a step back. "I have a boat to take us out of King's Landing." Lena's words tremble despite her confidence in Cat Arryn.

Alex is bloodied and tense, clearly having fought her way down here when her guards had gone running to the commotion. "Why?"

"Lex, he snapped." Lena's hands shake from where they're still held up. "None of you deserved this, so I fixed it."

"Lena?" Winn questions cautiously, stepping forward hopefully. He pale with bruises under his eyes and blood matted to his hair.

"If they've figured it out already i'm dead, i'll be the next King-slayer." She offers them a self-depreciating smile.

Alex trembles like the room is falling apart around her as she rushes to Kara's cell, shoving past Lena none to gently. "You killed him?"

"I ordered it." And she sees Lex gasping for breath in her head, sees Lillian's eyes full of warning and so much pain.

Alex nods, moves to sling Kara's arm over her shoulder. Kara murmur's softly, too out of it. Alex shoves the sword into Lena's hand. "Lets go then, we've a boat to catch." There's a warning in her eyes and Lena knows that if Alex gets one inkling that Lena's betrayed her Lena will have a knife in her back.

They hurry through the tunnels, tunnels Lena knew like the back of her hand. There's a bag across Alex's back, heavy but the girl doesn't seem to mind. Storm is slinking muscles, coiled and ready to pounce on any guards they come across despite being thin from lack of food these last two months. Winn is frantically bringing up the rear, murmuring quietly to himself as he holds a bloodied sword, his eyes are wide and there a cut to his brow that bleeds. Kara is still weak from hunger and thirst, leaning heavily on Alex, muttering about dragons and fleeing the stags through darkness. She mumbling nonsense against Alex's shoulder and Lena aches for them. "Did you have a plan beside freeing Kara?"

Alex grits her teeth against Kara's weight and Lena nearly offers her help but holds back. Barely. "The Wall." Alex grunts out.

"How would you have made it that far?" Lena leads them down another corridor, ears intently listening for the sound of guards, knuckles white from her grip on the sword.

"I don't know but i'd die to save Kara." Alex grunts under the weight of both the blonde and the bag on her back, Lena reaches for it and Alex snarls at her, looking exactly like Storm had when Lena had freed the dire wolf.

Lena shakes her head, leaning away from Alex as they continue down the dank tunnel. "You don't have to die, just trust me."

"I'm trying to." Alex growls out as they continue down the tunnels.

Winn and Lena shove open the creaking door that leads to the docks and they search the area before racing towards the planks of wood. They're practically empty with the celebrations today and Lena heads for the one with the soft faded blue on the side. The mark is barely visible but Lena trusts Cat Arryn. Alex hasn't stop looking around frantically and Storm is tenser than Lena's ever seen her as they climb onto the docks. The second their feet touch to boarding plank a man steps from the shadows and ushers them below, the only thing that keeps Lena from running him through with the sword is the soft blue scarf tied around his wrist. The ship smells like sweat and salt as he takes them down corridor after corridor before he presses his fingers into a piece of wood. Slowly with a creak it opens outward as he pulls, to show a small hole into a small room. "Stay quiet and don't move." His words are terse and would be harsh if his eyes weren't full of worry.

The sound of the ship packing up is noisy as they wait down there for at least ten minutes until finally there's a still in the movement above them and then guards marching onto the boat. They all tense in their hiding place as they listen to the soldiers search the ship, talking about someone poisoning the king, looking for any escapees. "You want to leave after the king's poisoning?" Alex and Lena tense as they recognize Samuel Tyrell's personal soldier, Lena tightens her hand on her sword and slips the few inches to stand in front of the others, Storm pressed into her legs, crouched and ready as well.

The captain lets out a gruff sound and the wood creaks as he leans against the wall. "I was planning to leave today when all other captains were occupied with the celebration. Get a head start on selling shipments, was waiting on that last crate before you boys boarded. Didn't even know the king was poisoned."

The soldiers hum and continues their search, when they don't find anything they leave and the ship begins to move. They rest cramped against one another, barely breathing. Winn trembles behind Lena, clutching at her elbow and Alex has a dozing Kara pressed to her chest. Storm is crouched in front of the small hidden door, fur bristled as they wait it out. The captain doesn't come for them until their muscles twitch and the sun has fallen much lower in the sky. "Had to make sure we weren't boarded again, lets get you to your bunks." He eyes the wolf cautiously. "I've a mouser on the boat, keep the hound away from it."

Alex scowls at him but nods sharply, Storm stays on her heels and Winn and Lena follow after them. Kara's barely conscious and Winn takes her other arm over his shoulder to help Alex lead her to the cabin the captain was taking them to. The room is small and only has two cots and two swinging hammocks but it's better than being dead or sleeping in the dungeons. Winn and Alex gently set Kara on one of the cots and the captain motions to a basin of water before making his leave. Lena watches as Alex wipes a wet cloth across Kara's sweaty face, soothing and worried. She more gentle than Lena's ever seen her and murmuring apologies Lena can't make out. Storm, matted and too thin lays beside Kara on the cot. 

Just looking at them Lena knows she's done the right thing. She moves up to the deck, leaving a sleeping Winn and the girls below. The captain is there, staring out at the sea and fiddling with the blue scarf on his wrist. Its silk and too expensive for a sailor to have. "Captain."

"Baratheon." She nearly jerks back, the name forcing bile in her throat. Once upon a time she was proud of that name.

"Lena, please." She nearly begs him.

"Lena then." He eyes her curiously. "No longer a Baratheon?"

"I'm the bastard of a Baratheon, my father died." She doesn't tell him that being called that makes her want to vomit. That all that name means now is burning green fire and blood soaking the dungeons.

He nods, sensing there's more but not pushing. "I suppose you're a Storm now? Baratheons were once home to the Stormlands."

"I suppose so." Lena leans against the railing, the boat rocking under her feet and King's Landing far out of sight, they're surrounding by the sea on all side now and it brings her a comfort she didn't know water could. "Where are we going?"

He pulls in a deep breath, tasting the sea on the air, free of the smell of King's Landing. "The free cities."

She narrows her eyes suspiciously, what was Cat Arryn's plans. "Why not Dorne?"

"They'd expect ya to run to Dorne." He grumbles out like she should've known. Like there is truth to an Army in Dorne lying in wait. "Free cities are safer. Easier to hide in, 'specially that wolf."

She nods slowly and follows his gaze out to sea, a whale breaches in the distance and she lets out a soft sigh. "Thank you."

The man shrugs. "I paid a debt, nothing more girl." He eyes the horizon, the dark clouds and the churning water. "There's a storm brewing, get below deck with the others." He touches her elbow as she moves to leave, gentle in a way she thought grisly men on ships were not. "Food's in the mess, one of the sailors will help you take it to your cabin." His lips purse. "Need some meat on your bones the lot of ya." Lena smiles her thanks and makes her way down, following the scent of food. 

One of the sailors helps her carry a pot full of stew to the room, five bowls in her other hand. "Last day for this so eat all of it, it'll just be thrown to the sea if not." He speaks like it isn't a kind offering, as if it's just the only option. She wants to thank them, give them something in return for the kindness they are showing them. 

So they eat like they haven't been able to in a long while. Kara is not hungry t first, barely swallowing a few bites of the broth before she seems to come to herself, moving to stuff her face as Alex tempers her. "Slow, you'll make yourself sick." She brushes sweat soaked hair from Kara's face with a worried look.

Storm has no qualms and is scarfing down her third bowl, the food soaking into the fur around her snout. Winn is sipping at his quietly, thinner than he was in Winterfell, like Alex and Kara he had lost weight. Lena just moves her food around, unable to stomach much food with the fear churning in her gut. Kara slows down, but she doesn't move her eyes from Alex's face, there is caution and wonder in her bright blue eyes. Like she can't believe it. Alex hasn't taken her eyes off Kara either, she still has that pack strapped to her back, almost square in shape and surely heavier than it looks. "Alex." Kara's voice is rough and Lena hopes its just from thirst, that Lex hadn't tortured her.

Alex trembles and Lena adverts her gaze, barely catching Alex falling forward, pressing her forehead to Kara's. She'd always suspected especially after that visit to Winterfell and the way they'd danced together on Alex's birthday. "I'm here, we're safe. You're safe." Her words are thick and Lena has to swallow the guilt down. "We're together, everything will be fine."

**Author's Note:**

> Danvers- House Stark  
> El's (Zor-El) - House Targaryen  
> Luthors - House Baratheon  
> Lillian Luthor- (Previously) House Lannister  
> Winn Schott - House Greyjoy  
> Maxwell Lord - House Bolton  
> J'onn J'onzz- House Mormont (Nights Watch Lord Commander)  
> The Lane's - House Tyrell


End file.
